


Grace and Favour

by Jezmatron



Series: Celestial Universe [1]
Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Angst, Broken Hearts, Demons and Angels, F/F, F/M, Heaven AU (Celestial AU), Redemption
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-13
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:13:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 33
Words: 189,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25881907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jezmatron/pseuds/Jezmatron
Summary: Inspired by the #CelestialAU created by the amazing Twitterfolk: @ADORAGRAYSKULL @catrasmile @catrasadorasYou can see it all HERE: https://twitter.com/ajulexcelestialThis is their creation and I'm paying tribute! Not sure how long this will go on - going to be something I dip in and out of. But they have a load of amazing materiel, so go CHECK IT OUUUUUT!Adora has gone, vanished from Heaven. Catra's getting over it, slowly. It's been over a century, after all. She is content to oversee her little corner of Paradise - monitoring and dealing with the minor issues of occult incursion on earth. Until reports of a major demon on earth cause worries among Heavens bureaucracy. Catra decides to take the lead, if only to get away from the monotony.It's been a while since she visited Earth - what surprises will be in store for her? What nefarious plans does this demon have? And will Bow ever stop trying to make other people fall in love?
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra), Bow/Glimmer (She-Ra)
Series: Celestial Universe [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2094885
Comments: 1414
Kudos: 836
Collections: DK's AUs, dianatyrbo she-ra





	1. Heaven Sent

Paperwork. A thing no one ever really thought about in the context of the Ever After, the Eternal Throne. The sheer amount of _paperwork_ . Or rather the backlog of it: several millennia was a good amount of time for things to _pile up_ . Losing half the cohort of the Golden Throne’s staff in that little spat hadn’t helped with delegation _either._

But a well ordered system was _perfection_ in her eyes. All things in their proper place, cleared. Set _properly_.

It hadn’t _always_ been thus. In the days before the Fall, when she and her fellows had danced through ivory halls and sung the endless chorus amidst white strands of immaterium she had been what some would call a Muse - a thing of creation, imagination and unbridled _joy_. Her constant companion, her other-soul as some of the Host called those so tightly bound, had thrummed with that same energy. Golden hair to contrast her own dark locks; piercing blue eyes that seemed so wise and full of good-natured mischief, to offset her mixed gaze of gold and blue. Pale skin against her tawny fur. They had brought joy to tribes in the world below theirs, a species of gentle reptilian creations. They taught them the ways of learning. Of protection and safety. Of home and hearth. Of friendship forged from a lifetime of loyalty...

And then Lightspinner had led the rebellion. Her pride and lust for more power, for control over her own destiny had torn their once glorious home apart. The battles had raged across space and event shattered the frail threads of time. She and her other-soul had been loyal, fighting alongside the Archangel Micha to push back the Eldest of them all, the once-beautiful Lightspinner.

Gone were her days of artistry and dancing. They, as a pair, had fought across battlefields wrought from nightmares; through dimensions torn from nowhere, to cast the rebels down. The war had been short and bloody, many falling on either side. Minor deities and spirits picked sides, whilst some tried to stay safe and hidden. The war was so destructive it rippled through to the material, to the world their Creator prized above all else: the source of Lightspinner’s jealousy.

When she fell, she phased through realities and crashed with such force she cratered the world and sent dust flying. It killed the world… almost.

Lightspinner fell and fell, through the universe, until she landed in the Frightful Dimension. It carried many names: Tartarus; The Asphodel Fields; Avernus; Sheol.

Hell.

And there she lay, frozen in a lake for centuries, changed from the glorious being. No longer a beacon of light and creation, but a thing of darkness and bitterness. The Shadow Weaver. The Great Enemy.

She shook herself from the memory. Her mismatched eyes blinking at the chill that crept across her furred skin,

Yes, she’d been carefree. Until they’d seen too much. Death beyond imagining. Chaos. _Suffering_ on a cosmic scale. It made her so _averse_ to the very idea of disorder. Hence why she was now sat in one of the archives of the Eternal Throne, the endless corridors flanked with scrolls and shelves, trying to make sense of the archaic filing and misnumbered records.

“Is, um… is everything alright, Dominion Catra?”

She sighed and glanced at the being next to her. It was one of the Virtue rank, the administrators of the Golden City. Not military, like the Archangels and their various ilk, nor a _problem solver_ like herself, one of the Dominions. And no where near the heady height of the Seraphim. An underling, but still one of the Creator’s First.

“This is, frankly, abysmal,” she drawled at the short specimen. It looked like a human, as many of the Host chose to emulate these days. It was modestly dressed, in comparison to her choice of a white-gold shirt and clinging leggings. The being was covered in a simple tunic of golden thread, tied at the waist, and had a mop of unruly blond hair, “Why are the archives in such… disorder?”

The Virtue scratched back of his neck and winced, “Not many wish to partake of the duty of care, my lady. And encouraging souls of the worthy to help is… difficult. Also, the archives are rather… insistent on their ways.”

Catra frowned, “This I know. The Archive is, itself, a creation. I’m not stupid.”

“Uh I didn’t mean to imply…”

“I am simply looking for a record of… a comrade. A fellow who has… been absent for many years. Every time I come here, I am _disappointed_ . This place gives me no answers. No one _gives_ me answers. Why is that?”

Her voice was becoming shrill, she realised. She also noted that the Virtue was cringing slightly and she felt a wash of guilt hit her. The smaller Angelic being shrugged, “I am… sorry my lady. Perhaps I can assist?”

She ran her hand through her thick black hair and sighed, “No, Virtue… I should uh… I should apologise. That was… unfair of me. You have no more control over this place than I do the stars.”

That wasn’t _strictly_ true. She could burn a star out if she _wanted_ . It’d take time and be a colossal waste… but doable. But the Virtue didn’t need to know _that_.

The younger Angel nodded slowly, “I um… I can certainly help, my lady. I have explored pretty extensively. If… if I can be of assistance… what are you looking for?”

She regarded the younger being and smiled faintly. He was practically bubbling with enthusiasm. Had she been like that? Before things got _complicated_? She nodded slowly, “That’d be… appreciated. What’s your name, Virtue?”

“Oh… um… Kyle, my Lady. Well, it was _Coel Hen_ … but times change, don’t they?”

“Were you human, once?”

“Oh, yes… a thousand years back. Elevated about ten years ago.”

“Congratulations. You were of the Nordic tribes?”

“I was a Skald in life, my lady. Or was training to be one. Until a Dane decided that I’d make for good axe throwing practice,” he shrugged, “But, hey that’s life, right!”

She smirked and nodded, “I suppose. I was never of the mortal ilk. Just always have been.”

“I, uh… I suppose that makes sense. Not many of us have what it takes to get to be a well… one of _your_ stature.”

She gave him a side glance as they turned to walk through the stacks, “Is that envy I hear in your voice?”

Kyle froze and then shook his head vigorously, “Oh no my lady um… well… I suppose a _little_? I know… it’s a sin and…”

“It’s only sinful if you act on it, or let it fester, y’know? Emotions are.. Complicated. And if it motivates you to be _better_ … to aspire and improve yourself, well that can’t be a bad thing, right?”

“I… suppose?”

Catra turned and regarded him, then smiled, “Anyway, I need help… finding my friend. She’s… gone. Just gone. No idea where. And that worries me. None of the Dominion order have a clue, or claim not to… but I doubt they would lie. And it isn’t like her to be… absent.”

Kyle blinked, “One of the Dominion order? Missing?”

“That I don’t _know_. If she was sent on an urgent task, the record would be here if…. If she was _cast out_ …. Then that should be here too,” she bit her lip, pensively and clutched one arm, “I doubt that she _has_ but… I need to be sure.”

Kyle nodded slowly, “What is her name, my lady?”

“Adora…. Adora of the Order of Hope.”

Kyle blinked, “Daughter of Mara? Of RA? Athena herself? _Missing_?”

“SHHH! Not so LOUD!” hushed Catra. Kyle’s eyes bulged, “It’s… it’s not known. Even Mara won’t… won’t talk to me.”

“That… that would make you… _Catra!_ Lady Bast! Blessed Astarte!”

Catra facepalmed, “Ugh. Yes. All of the above. It… it was a crazy time, ok? You guys were… so _disorderly_ . Needed corralling. Anyway, moving on, yes, Adora is missing. Has been for… a while. I’ve been back here… so many times and _nothing_.”

He searched her gaze, “How long, my lady?”

Catra sighed and looked away, “...One hundred and fifty years.”

“That’s… not that long in the great scheme of things….”

She glared at him, but saw only earnest helpfulness in his eyes - a desire to mitigate the hurt she was now clearly projecting. She squared her shoulders and tilted her chin up, “It is long enough to be concerned.”

He just nodded and then laid a hand against the stacks, his eyes closed in what seemed like a trance. Then he frowned.

“That is… strange.”

“What?” despite her love of things orderly and accounted-for, she had no real gift with the actual _filing_ of things. That was why she had… well, support staff. Gone were the days of field-work, hunting down rogue demons or rampaging monsters from myth (Also usually demons). So, she just oversaw things and handed reports to underlings who did the actual busy-work.

But she had no attunement to the workings of knowledge of the Golden City; its archives or levels of learning. She was, at heart, a _martial_ being. She had been forged into one during the fall and it had stuck. A hunter of things dark and deadly. Something she was good at.

Maybe that was why she had found nothing on Adora? The Archives just didn’t know why she was there, a soldier looking for something completely outside of her designation, her _role_. The Golden City didn’t do well with things deviating from their expected pathways, so maybe the places just hadn’t acknowledged her need?

Which meant she probably should’ve asked for help _sooner_ . She cursed herself internally - pride was an insidious thing, especially among their kind. Lightsp…. _Shadow Weaver’s_ poisonous legacy.

“It’s like there were records but… they’re missing. Or obscured. I can sense that they were here and… well they technically still _are_ . But it’s like they’ve been moved…. Somewhere else. But it feels really _really_ weird. Like someone did it from _outside_. Maybe I’m seeing it wrong. I’m kinda new at this...”

Catra blinked at the Virtue, “That’s… a lot of information for one of your station to take from a place like this.”

He smiled bashfully, “I… I really like books, my lady. I think this place appreciates that.”

She looked at the shelves with suspicion. The city was a living thing in and of itself, in that it was a created _thing_. But its goals, its ideals were not that of men nor angel. Just the continuation of the Worlds. What motivated a damn library? That was something she wasn’t going to even begin to get into. Instead she heaved another sigh and gave Kyle a thin smile.

“Virtue Kyle you have been… helpful. Thank you.”

“I’m.. sorry we didn’t find anything of use, my lady. I will… I will keep looking though and, um, well, I guess tell you. If I, uh.. Find anything?”

“That…. Thank you. Yeah, that’d be… kind of you,” she studied the Virtue, then nodded. She turned and left, stalking through the stacks, feeling slightly defeated.She stepped through the marbled hallway that fronted the vast stretch of seemingly-endless aisles and paused to look up at the stained-glass dome above. It was always above, no matter where in this archive you went - the dome always straight above you, casting the place in gentle, golden light.

She closed her eyes for a moment and inhaled. A reflective action, breathing wasn’t necessary here. Beings of energy and purest thought, physicality was still a thing most angels _did_. It grounded them. Only the ones beyond Heaven, or out in the darkness of the universe were immaterial, to conserve energy.

Her mind cast back, to a time at the wars close. Adora, full in her raiment, her War-Form so powerful that its sight would become etched into Human myth as the _Valkyrie_ , as she faced down the hissing, perverted legions of Fallen and Hellspawn on some blasted plain of the World Below.

Catra had been at her back and they’d fought things with more faces than arms: trolls, devils, Manticore monsters. Things borne of the twisted alchemy of the original denizens of hell who had allied themselves to Lightspinner’s cause. She’d marveled as Adora had torn a line through their forces as if they were _nothing_. Between the two of them, they had held the line until Micah…. Michael to the humans… had driven Lightspinner back, had fought her in the clouds, over boiling seas. The crust of the very earth had cracked at the clash of their magic and blades.

Adora had held her hand as they watched, frustrated that they could not intervene. They’d seen the final blow land. A flash of light in the sky that seemed to set fire to the very atmosphere. And they’d watched Lightspinner fall, her legions routed by her defeat.

Catra opened her eyes from the memory. She smoothed the sleeves of her shirt and frowned. If books wouldn’t help, if scrolls held no answer, well… maybe that was it? If someone didn’t want her to know where Adora was, if Adora’s own _mother_ wouldn’t tell her, then maybe… maybe it was so horrific she couldn’t know. Mara had secluded herself, after all, become distant even with the Higher Council.

Which was a problem in itself. God not talking to her angels? Worrisome.

Another thing to add credence to Catra’s worry - was… was God grieving? If Adora had died, well… wouldn’t Mara have done another Flood level act of vengeance? But if she hadn’t then… then maybe Adora had just….

Left?

With a huff, she pushed the doors to the Archive open and walked out into the golden light of the Eternal Throne, the Golden City itself. She pushed her worries out - she had other things to concern herself with. She couldn’t allow fear to consume her. If Adora was gone… if she’d _left_ and covered her tracks so well, then Catra wasn’t going to concern herself with it. The thought felt _wrong_ but she didn’t want to dwell. It still hurt, not having her friend here. Not having seen her for over a century.

She descended the stairs in front of the domed Archive and paused at their base, taking in the plaza before here. White marble-like stone, red-leaved trees sprouting from neatly manicured grass enclosures, ringed by small stone borders… it was a peaceful place. It felt vast and yet small at the same time; a trick of Heaven, which allowed it to accommodate all the souls who had ever been.

“Hey, Catra! CATRA!”

She grinned at the voice and turned as a figure pounded across the paving towards her. Wispy figures darted out of the way - the souls of the worthy, or angels not wishing to bother with something more substantial dodging the charging, very corporeal form. The figure drew to a halt in front of Catra and leaned forwards, hand on knees, then raised on arm, finger pointed upwards in the universal sign of _wait a moment_. Catra crossed her arms and cocked her eyebrow.

“Arrow boy. Quit it, you aren’t out of breath. Can’t be.”

“EXCUSE ME,” The figure inhaled and straightened, “I’ll have you know, I am low on energy! Did a whole bunch of… like… materialising and visitations recently. My job is…. Really _intense_ Catra.”

She smirked, “Really. Getting mortals to… what… get all intense and physical is stretching you?”

“It’s called _love_ Catra. Try it out some time!”

She twitched and snorted, “No time for that. _Someone_ has to keep the junior Dominion’s in line.”

“Uh huh,” Bow deadpanned. He ran a hand through his short cropped hair and shook his head, the light reflecting off his dark skin which he’d decided to let _sweat_ for some reason. Catra shook her head as he spoke, “Look, uh… I guess your research didn’t pan out?”

She shrugged, “I think I’m about done, y’know> I was…. It’s been a HUNDRED and FIFTY years, Bow,” she spread her arms and sighed, “No word. No funeral. No search parties. Just… a weird sense of embarrassment. Did she go mortal? Did she just fall into a black hole? Has her mom locked her up?”

Bow looked panicked, “Hey, uh let’s… uh let’s keep gossip about the Boss to a minimum, ok?”

“What, she going to send _Micah_ after me? OH WAIT! He went and left _too_. I… I just i give up, Bow. I thin… I think maybe she just didn’t care, y’know?”

He frowned at her and stepped forward, “Hey… I never met her but… Athena didn’t sound like that.”

Catra snorted, “Adora… she hated Athena. Hated that the Greeks named a city after her but got her name wrong. By Mara, that joke got mileage for like… three centuries. But…” she inhaled and closed her eyes, “But it’s been long enough.”

Bow smiled, “Maybe. Anyway, was wondering, since I’m done for, like… the next few months, you wanted to grab some mana and just… watch the new arrivals?”

She grinned at that, “You want to see if there’s anyone you like?”

“WHAT? No. I know there’s someone out there for me. There is for _everyone_.”

“Well, if you hit them with your arrows, duh…”

Bow frowned, “Not my style. Cherub i may be, but I am not _coercing_ that sort of thing… just letting it happen all naturally by introducing people in a relatively controlled environment.”

“Sounds more like science than that romance stuff you go on about.”

“Can’t it be both..”

She eyed him and shrugged, “Not my area. Smiting hellspawn, removing dark magic from the earth, that’s my thing. You deal with the fluffy stuff.”

He eyed her for a moment then smiled, “You’ll know it when you find it,” he studied her, “Or maybe you did. You and Adora were you…?”

She blinked, “We were like… always together, we fought beside each other! You know, comrades! Friends!”

He met her gaze and she twitched. He just shrugged, “If you say so. So… mana?”

She nodded curtly and the pair set off, wending their way through the infinite streets of the Golden Throne, headed for The Gate. Beings of all shapes passed them - angels in their various chosen forms - striding bull-men; multi-winged beings with eyes on their wing-tips; some more beast than man, some just human with _something_ else about them. Their skin a little _too_ perfect, their bearing a little _too_ confident, bordering on intimidating.

The souls of the Blessed were more consistent - human, mostly, but the odd Reptilian, from before the Fall. One particular spirit paused as Bow and Catra walked past andwaved to get Bow’s attention. He laid a hand on Catra’s arm and she paused, curious about the interruption. The souls of the Blessed were not ghosts - they had substance, but the nature of heaven meant that there were always _more_ around the place. Hence the need for the City to be an endless, ever expanding expanse.

“Rojelio, good to see you. All ok?”

The spirit made a few growling, chirruping noises, the lost-language of the Reptiles. It’d come as a shock to some of the human souls when they’d arrived to find they weren’t the _only_ souls who got here. Catra listened, amused at the Reptile’s questions. Clearly Bow had been leading a few more of his ‘adjustment’ groups - given that Bow was one of the Cherubim, those tasked with Messages and Romance, it wasn’t surprising. A number of souls came to heaven afraid, worried what it meant to be now an endless being, unburdened by the overbearing toxicity of some emotions. And what that meant for love, for their futures.

Bow was _good_ at what he did. He was a guide here, when he wasn’t on earth doing the other major part of his role. Which was how she and he had met, actually.

It seemed Rojelio was wrestling with some _interspecies_ attractions and wasn’t sure what that meant. Bow was giving some advice when Catra blinked.

“Did… did you say _Coel_?” The lizard spirit blinked and adjusted its posture to look at Catra. It bowed low and she tutted, “C’mon don’t get shy. “

The reptile looked up and shrugged, then nodded. Bow frowned then glanced at Catra, “Something you want to share, _milady_?”

“Oh hush you. So, you uh… want to get to know this guy better, right?” The lizard nodded vigorously, “Have you tried working with him?”

Rojelio shuffled his feet and his tail whipped back and forth, then he shrugged. Bow looked thoughtful, “Ok, you definitely know something.”

“Maybe… so, some advice, little spirit. You want something, fear has no place. Initiative, decisiveness _does_. So… go visit the Archive in the Red-leaf plaza… maybe check some scrolls out. Offer a helping hand. Never know what it might get you.”

The lizard looked between her and Bow, then nodded vigorously. He bowed to them both and then dashed away at a jog. Bow stared after the figure then looked at Catra. He grinned at her, eyes shining, “That. Was. So… CUTE!”

“Shut up. I have a _reputation_ to uphold,” she sniffed and shrugged, “Plus, it got rid of him. I want mana. He was delaying us.”

“Don’t deny it. You romantic you…”

“Quiet or I’ll smite you.”

“Psh… yeah…. Please don’t.”

“Then all is well. Now, mana and let’s people watch.”

They walked onward and Catra felt a faint flutter of something. Pride? Contentment? She wasn’t sure. It warred with the roiling in herself, that sense of emptiness. But it was a step towards something positive perhaps. Spirits she could deal with, simple, basic things that mortals were. Maybe that’s what she needed? A task, something to take her mind off her long departed friend. The pair continued on in silence until they reached the grand plaza of The Gate. truth told they could’ve just _appeared_ there, but being _abstract_ in Heaven was dull. This was an emulation of the physicality of Earth and thus was pleasant. Being corporeal garnered much and kept one focused, grounded.

At the edge of the plaza they found a set of seats and tables at the edge of the vast plaza. Like much of heaven it was both immense in scale whilst also being a comprehensible size to the senses. Currently there was a steady stream of glowing, near-shapeless forms stumbling through the huge, golden gates the sat at one end of the plaza. Taller than most buildings, the gates stood open and glowed with a welcoming, warm light.

Amidst the throng of souls entering heaven moved taller figures in white - Virtues, guiding the lesser Angels and the Principalities as they met the newly arrived and began the slow process of inducting them into Heaven. Some souls came with trauma, no matter the nature of their death. Letting go of their old life was _always_ difficult and many needed to be nurtured, healed in some form or other. Catra remembered Adora and her standing in the plaza, welcoming the Reptile souls before the Fall, then their post-war time doing their own duties as mentors to new arrivals. Many of the heavenly war-host had turned to more calming duties to try to cast off the horror of the War in Heaven.

But Adora and Catra had been marked by it; they’d done good work with the new arrivals but it never felt enough. So they’d become Dominion - the arbiters of Heavenly justice, messengers and custodians on earth, carrying out the will of the Creator. Mara had been a little uneasy about it, given the war had nearly cost her Adora, but she’d acquiesced - after Adora had basically nagged her about it.

Catra smiled fondly at the memories - their time among the humans had been educational and fretful. She could barely remember most of it, as they’d ended up becoming hunters of the nastier things from Hell that had stayed behind. 

A spirit walked to their table and set down a pair of simple wooden cups filled with amber liquid. Bow took a sip and sighed, “Elysium man…. 1717 I believe…”

Catra snorted and drank deeply of hers, “All the same to me. ‘S good though,” she paused and studied the liquid, “How long we known each other, Bow?”

“Well, we’ve been friends… eighty years? But we’ve kinda known each other longer. You know, meetings, Council sessions… the war.”

They lapsed into silence and Catra nodded, “You enjoy what you do?”

“You ask me that every time. Yes I do. And no, i’m not transferring to the Dominion.”

“But it’s so SAPPY! Do we need _more_ mortals crawling around down there? They’re… they’re messing it all up! And without any DEMONS helping them this time!”

Bow sighed. He knew where this was going, “I can’t see how you can feel that way - you _just helped_ a soul! To find their true love!” Catra glanced at him and he tapped the heart shaped emblem on his tunic. She noticed that this outfit was a crop top -a style he’d recently started affecting. The heart glowed briefly and she sighed.

“True love huh?”

“I think so… no, I know so. But… it’s not quite there yet. But you helped it along! How can you be so.. .frustrated with mortals if you do that?”

Catra mulled it over and shrugged, “‘S different, y’know? They’re _here_. They made it. They’re worthy. Those ones left behind… wasting it.”

Bow took another sip, “Is that all it is?”

She sighed, “Maybe. Just feels a bit…. Why did we bother? We struck down so many of our own only for them to be…. Wasting it all.”

Her friend eyed her and spoke slowly, carefully, “Wasn’t that what…. _She_ said?”

Catra shot a look at him, “I am not like Lightspinner. I have no desire for power. I just… I’m just frustrated that they don’t seem to _care_ . We lost so many and… for what? They don’t get to be HERE anymore. They’re _gone_. But humans, Reptiles...they get this endless cycle… unless someone really does a number on them.”

She felt Bow’s eyes on her. He arched an eyebrow then looked her up and down, “You, Catra… are _bored_.”

She blinked, “What?”

“You’re bored! The whole resurgence in your obsession with finding Adora… you didn’t care about it for twenty YEARS! Just hammered on the odd demon summoning, or chased down some extraplanar invaders… But now… now you’ve got no focus.”

She adjusted herself in her seat and growled. She wanted to unfurl her wings, to soar all of a sudden. With a huff, she downed her drink, “Gonna go… fly.”

He nodded, “I’ll join you. Need to stretch them out.”

Catra glowered at him then slumped and waved him to stand up. They moved away from the table gave each other some space. With a shudder, Catra let her wings form. It was like exhaling a breath she hadn’t realised she was holding and she let her eyes close in bliss. Then, with a beat of her wings, she was airborne. The warm light of the Golden Throne suffused the air around her with warmth and she climbed with slow, steady beats.

She hear Bow’s whoop of delight as he whipped past her and she couldn’t help but smirk as she watched him loop in the sky above her.

They weren’t quite alone up here - others of their kind were lazily soaring through the clear skies, basking in the warmth and peace of it all. Below them the city stretched on to the horizon, endless plazas, parks and vast lakes. White, gold, red and blue, the city looked so clean, peaceful and calm.

“Feeling better?” Bow flapped nearby, hovering as he regarded her. Catra closed her mismatched eyes and nodded slowly.

“Sort of. Maybe you’re right I… I need something. Just _managing_ a load of juniors, reading up on cases and investigations into weird stuff down there… it’s so detached. Used to be I’d charge in and claw a troll’s face off, or grapple with demons. Now I just… send some middle-angel to find an idiot who found an old Goetic rune or some minor Imp that got past a seal. It’s _dull_.”

“What, Heaven? How can you SAY that?”

“Where’s the challenge? I mean, yeah my job… it’s good. Gives me purpose. And… and maybe I’m projecting. I should be content but now I’m all over, y’know?”

Bow nodded sympathetically and flapped closer, “I hear you. Think i told you about how my dads wanted me to advance towards becoming a Seraphim? To get that far, become a warden of knowledge?”

“Yeah I recall… they don’t seem too bothered now, though.”

“Ehhh took them a while. But I just needed to understand _me_ , to find what it was that brought me.. Contentment. Maybe just overseeing isn’t your thing? Take a case on again, do some legwork. Maybe that’ll style you down.”

Catra sighed, “We’ll see. There hasn’t been a demon of any repute on earth for at least ninety years though.”

“Well, until Hell has the guts to front up, let’s just…. Take it a day at a time, ok? And maybe I can get you into the Cherubim! You did so WELL with Rogelio.”

Catra growled, “That’s it! Too much! You must be silenced!”

She flung herself after him and he flapped away, laughing. They spiraled through the air and, for a moment, Catra didn’t feel weighed down by concerns.


	2. Tempting Fate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Work can only distract so much. A walk is in order.
> 
> But, as they say, be careful what you wish for.

Bow had been right - she  _ had _ needed something to focus on. And to not dwell. So, she focused on her work. She took some cases on, which surprised the Dominions below her in the hierarchy. It was  _ good _ to give herself purpose once more - wallowing in uncertainty had been at least partially responsible.

Time ticked on, always a fickle thing in the heavens. And yet again she felt that gnawing sense of worry in the pit of her stomach. She’d returned from leading a cohort against a particularly unpleasant interplanar incursion from something from  _ beyond _ the inky reds and turquoise of a parasitic dimension. It had looked like a shadow, with too many eyes and had spoken with the voice of thousands. But it had died to their flaming swords and lances of light.

All horrors did.

Upon her return she’d found a new stack of scrolls on the desk in her tower. Whereas before, this would have invigorated her, she found the sight disheartening. A reminder of the endless cycle they found themselves within.

It didn’t help that they were all… dull. Wandering spirits causing issues in the material world below; incursions into the Golden Throne by the occasional Warlock who’d found some old Enocian script and thought it’d be funny to drunkenly summon an angel; more minor petitions and fraudulent sightings of  _ actual _ demons.

She’d slumped into the seat behind her desk. Both were of ancient Grecian design, a style she’d grown fond of when she’d spent time among humanity. Yes, the Egyptians had their  _ flair _ but the greeks did wonders with marble and wood. The seat had no back, which meant she could let her wings unfurl and the table was low and broad, allowing her to unroll many scrolls across it. Each scroll, once unfurled, then spooled glowing golden script up, above its surface, which scrolled and flickered, creating a three dimensional image of the contents. She only had to glance at the script to know  _ exactly _ the content of the scroll, no matter the detail.

She sighed and looked around her office. Currently, she’d decided it should occupy a tower and the environ had morphed to accommodate her wish - the perks of being of the Second Chorus and Master of the Dominion order, of course. Most angels could impact reality anywhere to some degree - it was their nature. Most were limited by their sphere of influence of course. And their imagination, which Catra found sorely lacking in some of her contemporaries.

“My lady… we have more reports? Did you wish to… take any for yourself?”

Catra glanced up at the door to her office. A twelve foot tall double door of burnished gold, set in a Medieval style of old Europe. It clashed  _ slightly _ with the white colonnades and scroll stacks of her sanctuary but she felt it was a suitably intimidating barrier to Angels and souls who just wanted to gawk at her. She looked at the Dominion before her and a name flickered to mind.

“Juliet, thank you…. Anything  _ interesting _ ?”

The Angel stepped into the room. She too had her wings on display, “Just a poltergeist in some town in a place called… Milwaukee?”

“One of the tribal territories?”

Juliet shrugged, “The humans change names and borders so much its hard to keep track. Like trying to paint an oil spill from memory.”

Catra chuckled, “What can we expect from monkeys? They have their moments, but I cannot fathom Mara’s favour of them. Still, that all?”

Juliet shrugged and brushed her hair back with her free hand, the pile of scrolls tucked under her other arm. She had one half of her head shaved clean, “Just some confirmatory reports from the planar expeditions, surveys of prior Demonic hotspots and updates on the dimensional seals… we’ve had a spike in Elder Thing breaches.”

That drew a disgruntled sigh from Catra, “Those things  _ never _ quit. Took one down… by Mara was it last week? Last month? Feels an eternity and yet moments ago.”

Juliet frowned, “Are you... recuperating my lady? I think i speak for the Chorus when I say we know you’ve been… pushing yourself.”

Catra shot the angel a look and frowned. She took Juliet’s bearing in. Her attire was far more militant than most - an affectation among some of the more zealous angels. 

But the woman’s expression was of genuine concern and Catra relaxed - politicking was for the Demon-kind. Heaven was done on  _ merit _ . The place wouldn’t  _ let _ you get far if all you wanted was power. Sort of baked into the place. She rolled her shoulders and let her wings flex out, the movement causing Juliet to take a slight step back. Catra allowed a little of her energy to filter in, rejuvenating her faintly. She eyed Juliet for a moment.

“What is an angel without purpose?”

Juliet swallowed, “A…. An uncertainty? A danger?”

Catra nodded, “We are… powerful. Akin to gods. Not  _ her _ obviously, but we can do amazing things in the worlds below. And terrible things. I know, I’ve done a LOAD of them. But… without purpose, we are unbound, chaotic…. Which is how you get demons. Angels who give in to that impulse, who don’t wish to serve a  _ purpose _ but only themselves. I will recuperate, yes… but I need purpose, Juliet. We all do.”

The junior Dominion nodded and moved forward carefully, then placed the scrolls onto the table. Catra nodded in thanks. Juliet paused for a moment then inhaled, “We are things of purpose, my lady… but we are still creatures of will. Would an afternoon off reduce you to the state of the Fallen?”

Catra stared at the woman, who turned her eyes away, suddenly very nervous. Then Catra snorted. It turned into a chuckle. Then a full body, squeaky laugh as she clutched her sides. Juliet looked confused and Catra waved her away, wiping tears from her eyes.

“Hah...ha...haaaaa..aaaaah, oooh. Ok. Ok. You have a point. Yeah I’m not gonna go all Lightspinner. Maybe you’re right… a break would be good.”

The junior nodded, uncertain, then bowed low, her wings spread wide, tips touching the tiled floor. She straightened and left. Catra watched her go and then looked out the window - an large, arched space. Her mind wandered for a moment.  _ Where are you Adora? You should be here. Helping me fight Elder things. Drinking Mana and reminiscing. Telling me about…. Whatever was on that stupid mind of yours. _

Her breast tightened for a moment and she suppressed a shudder. She missed her friend, that was all. But eternal beings had to learn loss. Especially with the war - it showed that loss could be  _ permanent _ . And she wouldn’t become like Mara. Or Angella - a distant, unapproachable monolith, leaving her juniors in fear and uncertainty. She had to be a bastion, a constant.

She closed her eyes and reached out. She found a familiar glow in her mind's eye and tapped it. It flashed red briefly, then began to grow. Catra opened her eyes and waited, reading through the new scrolls - as Juliet had mentioned, it was all fairly hum drum. Strange animal sightings, werewolf claims, standard low level human fare - their overactive minds ascribing demon traits to  _ everything _ .

She KNEW demons. Knew that they went for spectacle, for slaughter. For debauchery. Golgotha, the Steppes, Tsushima and Kin. Be they  _ Oni _ or  _ Djinn _ they went for horror on a scale far beyond spooking a teenager in a forest.

When was the last time she’d face one in open battle? It was after the Fall, certainly. Some aspirant Baron of Hell, a tiny blackened soul. It may have once been human, certainly no  _ Fallen Angel _ . She thought it’d been in Egypt, some site of grand construction around the delta the locals were so enamoured of. This snake-like creature that had called itself Tong and tried to take her on.

The memory was a fond one as Adora had been there. She’d stood to one side and done a  _ be my guest _ gesture at Catra as the squat reptilian thing had ranted and railed at her. Had laughed as she’d stepped forward, her form seemingly slight and frail to his squat, muscular body. Humans had tried to flee but were ensorcelled by the demon’s influence. She remembered it had fought aggressively, no restraint. Just rage and hate flung at her with claws that could cleave metal and crush bone.

She remembered how it had held her up and laughed. And so she laughed back at it and flung sand in its eyes.

Sand magnified with holy energy that had sent the thing reeling.

After that, it’d been a simple matter of skewering the thing to the sand and banishing it. It’d left its mark, of course - The Egyptians deciding to claim it as some sort of evil god. Apep or something. And then Adora had gotten the locals to make some sort of idols to Catra. With specific focus on the  _ ears _ .

Even a massive statue. That had been too much. Catra had avoided Earth for a while after  _ that _ .

She smiled faintly at the memory, then let her mind flicker to more recent things - Juliet in her armour. She saw more and more in armour, or things similar. Was it a reflection of Earth, or a desire for something else? The lack of clear direction was unsettling the Host it seemed. Angella wasn’t exactly present right now. Micha would’ve done something.

Some of the angels hadn’t fought in the war and were… overcompensating now they had matured. Juliet had been of age, but was formerly of Angella’s guard, Catra recalled. Thus had been kept back to protect the Seraphim. Which hadn’t stopped  _ Micha _ going toe to toe with the wretched Traitor, of course.

But then Micha was always one to do his own thing. She wondered, idly, where the old man was now. That had been another unanswered question - the vanishing of the Archangel, beloved of Mara’s Second in Command.

She’d  _ liked _ Micha. Adora had liked him. He was a jovial sort, gentle, sarcastic. Not one to follow procedure or process. They’d butted heads a few times as she became more focused on maintaining stricter attitudes, coherent procedures. Since... since Adora had vanished. Catra, as she found herself now, had seen his attitude as  _ irksome _ these past few decades. And then he’d just… gone. A century after Adora. 

Which left both Mara  _ and _ Angella distant. Almost disinterested and cautious. But then again, they had lost people they’d  _ loved _ . Mara, her daughter. Angella, her soulmate. Catra had lost a friend and she was  _ fine _ . Confused, a bit sad. But she was focused, unwavering. And, frankly, if Adora had left… well then Catra was sure it was for a good reason. And if not, the good riddance.

That last thought made her shift uncomfortably, but she brushed it off. A knock at the door dragged her away from her internal monologue and she smiled as she recognised the aura beyond the golden doors.

“Bow, get in here. You don’t need to knock,” The Cherubim stepped through, smirking. He still wore his cropped tunic, the heart on the front currently  _ not _ glowing. Catra smirked at it, “Not caused any friends-to-lovers catastrophe’s on the way here?”

“Naw, that’s your bag… I do it  _ planned _ . You missed your calling, Catra, for ser-ee-OUS. Remember that Kyle Virtue?”

Catra frowned and nodded, “What…. That… oh yeah, archives. That was a few decades back, right?”

“Well, Rogelio and he… yeah, they’re doing well. Cohabiting. Got a nice little dream-state going, Rojelio has his own stall in the market… and I saw Kyle last week. You did them a MASSIVE favour. Plus there’s something else there not sure  _ what _ though. But whatever it is… the love just keeps GROWING.”

She nodded slowly, “Huh. Well, i am amazing.”

“So modest, too.”

“What? Self appreciation is  _ not _ Pride. Don’t see me going ‘yeah, make me Cupid now!’ Just admit i’m better at it than you.”

“Uh huh. Seriously, Catra, you are… just.. .terrible. We don’t  _ talk _ about Cupid, ok?”

“What, afraid they’ll move the uniforms back to loincloths? Like you wouldn’t try to carry it,” she smirked as he shuddered, then continued, “Anyway. And whilst I may be terrible, you like me for it.”

Bow arched an eyebrow and sighed, “Never a dull moment. So, break? I assume that’s why you called?”

“Yeah, want to go for a walk. Just… sit at the lake, maybe. Just had one of _my_ Dominions call me out for working too hard.”  
  
“And said Dominion is not currently doing laps of the city?”

“Considered it… but can’t discipline someone if they’re right. Just…. Eh, let’s save it for the walk.”

The pair left their office, Catra taking a moment to tidy her scrolls into ordered piles. They walked through the door to her office and emerged out at street level, next to a lake. Catra glanced back to where the door had been and nodded as she saw nothing but an expanse of trees and empty air. Bow shook his head.

“I’ve been around and that stuff still makes me go a bit dizzy.”

“Why? You can do weird stuff with people…”

“What, like  _ talk _ to them?”

“Har har. No, your… arrows, your swaying of crowds, the ability to grow  _ plants _ and mechanisms. I’ve seen some of your designs, remember. Pretty… weird stuff.”

“Thought experiments mainly. You can make darn near anything here, of course. Challenge is making something that can operate independently of this place. Tools weapons…. Things that are challenging. Make things just… more efficient and fun!”

Catra gave him a skeptical look, “Efficiency I can just about get behind, but not sold on the fun thing. Fiddly stuff isn’t fun.”

“You can redesign your office and make doors go anywhere in the city. I can do SOME of that. You find it fun on some level. I like making things move. There’s beauty in creation,” he grinned, “Kinda the whole  _ thing _ we do, right?”

She blew out through her nose and smiled faintly, “Fair point. I _ guess _ .”

“So cute when you’re flustered. Look! Your tail won’t stop moving.”

“Shut  _ up _ Arrow boy. Or I’ll take one of those contraptions and….” she sagged and smiled, “Yeah, not got the energy to even joke right now.”

Bow frowned, “What’s up?”

They set a pace along the lake-shore. It was one of many strewn outside the endless City. She idly pondered how many mathematicians and physicists in the afterlife were going slowly crazy trying to work out how a supposedly infinite city had an  _ edge. _ Of course they lacked the requisite extra senses, or had done before becoming immortal souls… so maybe they’d get it.

The grass here was blue and wafted gently in a cool breeze. The clouds above were golden with light from no discernable source. The water shimmered like a perfect mirror. She sighed as she took it all in.

“I told Juliet… the Dominion who  _ chastised _ me….”

“Chastised, oof… she got under your skin.”

“Shut up, idiot. I’m talking. Anyway...yeah, she was talking about taking a break and… it hit me. Because I basically spouted at her about purpose.”

“Well, we kinda need  _ something _ . Forever is a LONG time. Even for us. It’s why the mortals get that whole  _ reincarnate  _ card.”

“Yeah, well… I was taking your advice, like I told you a few months back? More cases, being at the forefront. It’s helped, a lot. But… still feels like something’s missing,” She fell silent then paused. Bow had stopped walking and was staring at her. She turned and cocked her head at him, “What? Have i got something on my wings?”

“What’s missing?”

Catra spread her arms out, her wings mirroring the movement reflexively, “How should  _ I _ know? If it doesn’t involve like, smiting an Eldritch horror from the ass end of creation, a  _ little _ out of my comfort zone, Bow. Just… the work is so  _ routine _ . We’re dealing with IRRITATED SOULS, for Mara’s sake. Grumpy mortals who won’t move on and throw  _ plates _ . I just tackled an aspect of what might have been PRIMUS and now I’m dealing with snarky mortal monkey things that won’t admit they’re dead.”

“So you’re bored?” he didn’t look convinced.

“YES! MAYBE! NO?” Catra ran her hands through her thick, messy hair, “It was helping but… it’s still like something’s missing.”

“Gonna take a stab here, just, y’know a shot in the dark. As the humans say,... balling the spit…” Catra frowned at him.

“Don’t say it.”

“Complete guess.”

“No.”

“Absolutely blindfolded shot here.”

“Shut up.”

“Maybe… you miss Adora still?”

Catra covered her face had screamed into her hands, “NO! I do not miss that dumb, selfish idiot. We had five thousand years of FUN and she just… what, waltzes off? Dies? Can’t be dead or Mara would’ve burned every sun out, going after whatever did it. So, she’s gone. But no one’s talking, so it’s a  _ weird _ situation. But not a BAD one or, again, it’d be so much WORSE. So, she had time to say goodbye but  _ DIDN’T _ !So. NO I don’t miss her stupid poofy blond hair or her blue eyes or sarcastic smile. That isn’t the point, she makes me  _ angry. _ We’re talking about why I’m not feeling fulfilled, not some stupid, selfish girl who couldn’t be bothered to even tell me  _ anything _ .”

She panted for a moment and looked at Bow who was standing with his hands behind his back. He rocked back and forth on his heels and smiled faintly at her, “So, totally nothing to do with Adora. At all?”

Catra ground her teeth, “No. I’m… I’m just bored. I need MORE to do.”

“Hmmm.”

“Don’t  _ hmmmm _ me, Arrow-boy.”

“Uh hmmm?”

“UGH! You… you are the worst. Not me,” she flung her arms up, “FINE! I miss her. But I’m still angry, And it has nothing to do with why I’m… feeling unchallenged. Aimless.”

Bow made another noncommittal noise, which made Catra turn her glare on him. He held up his hands placatingly and grinned, “Woa woa woa. Look, maybe it’s not the  _ main _ reason. But… it’s eating at you, clearly. Maybe you’re bored because she isn’t here AND the stuff you’re doing is unchallenging? Maybe you just need… a hobby? Something else? Maybe you should… try…. Meeting someone?”

He laid the words out  _ very _ carefully. Catra blinked and twitched, “What?”

“Like, that could be a distraction? Maybe that’s what you want, but you’re too fixated on this girl who’s, well… gone? Have you, y’know…. Ever….?”

She looked at him as he blushed and snorted, “Seriously… the angel who has the highest ever track record for inducing  _ sexual love _ and  _ passion _ and  _ genuine feelings _ in mortals is EMBARRASSED about this?”

He frowned at her, “That’s work. This is… personal.”

It was Catra’s turn to look faintly smug, “Hmmmmm?”

“Oh…  _ you _ . So, have you?”

“Have I what?”

“Done… it? Fallen in love… or…”

“It’s a natural thing. Between consenting beings…. It’s FINE, whatever form it takes. I’m  _ Millenia  _ old Bow…”

“And?”

Catra blinked and shifted, “Well, um… I… have… um… experimented and… well.”

“What’s that, oh, smiter of armies, defeater of demons? Cat got your.. .tongue?”

She deadpanned at Bow who doubled over, “Seriously. That’s the best you got?”

He giggled, and slapped his thighs, “Ah heee… Heee.. Ooooooooh, I…. I’m sorry. Been…. Been wanting to use that one… hoooooooooooooooo…. For  _ ages _ .”

“Laugh it up,” Bow wiped his eyes and heaved a few breaths then straightened, then giggled and doubled over again. Catra folded her arms and tapped her bare feet. Her pant suit glittered in the light and she waited out Bow’s mirth. But a faint smile tugged at the corner of her mouth too, “all done?”

Bow wheezed and nodded, “Yyyep. Hoo, anyway… so…. That’s a no then?”

Catra winced, “It… never felt right? Mortals are so  _ clingy _ . And, well… I have had some time with… an Angel here and there. But it wasn’t serious. The War did a number on us, y’know? Anyway, I had Adora and we were always so buys…”

“Wait… so _did_ you and her…?”

“What?! NO! She’s, like, my  _ best friend _ . Or was…. No offence Bow.”

“None taken. We are eternal, things change - there was a time before me, there may be a time without me later down the line,” he smiled and shrugged, “I deal in love - I know how it can go.”

Catra frowned, “No, not gonna let  _ another _ friend just  _ go. _ Anyway, no… Adora was… my confidant. I relied on her. And, well… she’s  _ Mara’s daughter _ . She has suitors out the freaking Golden Gate!”

“Yeah bet they loved the size of her Throne…” murmured Bow. Catra snorted.

“Well, yeah, but can you imagine Mara tolerating  _ that _ ? Or Heaven itself? Anyway, Adora as dumb, but not… in that way. She always had a good read on people. Could get them on side no matter what. Or dissuade them, y’know? Had a way with words.”

“She use it on you?”

Catra bristled for a moment, then relaxed, “No. Never. She just used it to calm people down, or to stop them being… idiots. Reason they called her Athena the wise, y’know? Not because she said wise stuff, Mara  _ no _ . But she talked down warmongering fools and got them to talk to each other…”

Bow walked to stand beside his friend and took her hands, “It’s ok to miss her.  _ And _ to be angry at her. It’s how we move on. But… maybe you do need to find someone. Or get yourself beyond this so you  _ can _ ? Otherwise… it’ll fester. And…”

Catra sighed, “i know. Angels… and strong emotions. We need to be in control, balanced.”

“Love turns to hate and jealousy without context. We’re just… energy, Catra. It’s why we need focus, you know that. But...you need to look at yourself, girl. That’s a lot of anger in there. And, well… one bad day with  _ that _ ?”

That caused a sigh from Catra as she nodded, “I know… it sneaks up on me. We need control, to serve, to be  _ better _ . I KNOW, Bow… I lectured Juliet on it. If I express it like this… maybe it’ll help. But… yeah,” she sagged, “I need a break, maybe. Some time just…. Contemplating. Been a while since I just basked in the Light, y’know?”

Bowie smiled and nodded, “Well, before you go all Zen Meditation, lets grab some mana and food. Don’t make that face - yes we don’t need it, but the souls do good stuff in the markets.”

She rolled her eyes but let the Cherub drag her back through the grass. The fields flickered and they found themselves back in the city. This time they were in what could’ve passe for a Middle Eastern souk - cloth draped over the streets, small stalls set everywhere. The smell of baked goods, cooked meat and strange perfumes suffused the air. It was an affectation that the souls brought with them - their desire for community, something Angels shared. But more than that.

The desire to create, to then share. Money wasn’t a  _ thing _ in heaven. Neither were resources. A soul didn’t need to eat, but it helped them adapt to go through the motions. And many did, just for the sensory satisfaction of it. And they also  _ made _ food. They could call forth ready made meals should they wish, but many wanted to have the  _ process _ of creation. And Catra could sort of approve of that. She did it herself, after all. Why teleport when you could walk, for example? Efficiency was her thing but, sometimes, it was nice to feel the warmth on your skin.

The souls often congregated in markets like the one the pair found themselves in, to share their creations. They often gifted their items to each other, but some still bartered and traded, even if it was slightly for show.

Bow led her through the stalls, the souls around them nodding in reverence as they passed. They paused in front of a stand that held a vast array of baked goods. It all smelled fragrant, spicy and  _ delicious. _

Catra let her friend pick out a few choices and they ambled away, the market bleeding away as they traversed broad streets into another green plaza. They plonked themselves down on the neatly trimmed grass and Bow handed a wrapped pastry to her, “Indulge. Relax. Let your mind just… clear itself. Your scrolls will be there later and, who knows, maybe you’ll get another  _ werewolf.” _

“That was such a let down that one.”

Bow snickered, “Didn’t, like, Gabriel take the last of those out?”

“He  _ tried _ . Remember Spinnerella?”

“OHHH! Yes,... but.. .wait. She’s a  _ Cherubim _ right?”

“Yyyyeah, thought you;d recognise the name. She’s in a different Chorus to yours though. Married to Netossa.”

“Wait, the leader of the  _ Thrones _ ?”

“One and the same. They’re.. .well you’d call them cute. Anyway, yeah… Spinny just clotheslined the thing. She was down doing whatever it is you guys  _ do _ with mortals. And… yeah. Gabriel was dueling the thing and forgot that they aren’t hellspawn and  _ don’t _ go down to the same stuff.”

“Oofff.. The old spirits man. Tricky, I hear.”

“You think Weres are bad, try  _ dragons _ . Thank Mara we managed to exile them.  _ Bad  _ news. Anyway, yeah, This thing had Gabe on the ropes and then it went for a couple of mortals in a field nearby. And Spinny was  _ not having it _ . She knocked it on its ass and… well, she lectured it.”

Bow blinked, “Wait, what?”

“Yeah… so, she gave the Were a talking to and… it left?”

“That’s… anticlimactic.”

“Turns out it was… jealous. In love with the guy in the field apparently… but she explained that, maybe, if it’d tried TALKING first rather than brooding, well…”

Bow blinked, “I feel I should be the one telling the story, it’s my like… area,” he gestured vaguely at his whole self.

She smirked at him and shrugged, “Met any Weres?”

“...No… I always thought most of them were demons doing… weird stuff. Course you hear about the Satyrs or some beast-spirits and curses and all that.”

“Oh they are. Some of them are ancient forest spirits. Some are actual cursed mortals. But mostly demons screwing about,” They leaned back on the grass and Catra smiled, “Thanks Bow. Needed this.”

“Hey, gotta help you remove that stick up your ass every now and then.”

“What, so I can beat you with it?”

“I am not that way inclined, thank you.”

Catra snorted and let her eyes close. She dozed, Bow humming next to her. The world was at peace again, her roiling mind somewhat calmed after that release of pressure.

The peace was marred by someone calling her name. Her mismatched eyes flickered open and she pushed herself up onto her elbows, wings ruffled awkwardly as they draped over the grass. She blinked, owlishly, as an unfamiliar Angel approached. A young woman, clad in a tunic and leggings, unassuming.

“Um… my lady Catra. My Lord Bow, apologies… There has been a summons.”

Catra frowned, perplexed “From where? I felt nothing…”

“Um, no.. it’s… um… a bit sensitive. I was asked to bring you to… to the Council Chamber. The Dominion Chrouses are being summoned.”

Her frown deepend; that was  _ new _ , “Why?”

“I was… not told, my Lady. I am but a Virtue. Mine is to do, not to ask.”

Bow arched an eyebrow at that, “That’s... limiting.”

The Virtue shrugged and blushed. She was a small thing, another new promotion possibly. “I am… still learning. This is an honour. I thought myself a sinner and now I find myself raised to grace. Who am I to question…?”

Catra and bow exchanged a glance.  _ Ah. A True Believer _ . They were, often, the  _ worst _ . And got  _ more _ annoying if they got promoted. Sanctimonious was one word for them. Catra had others. She knew faith was important, whatever creed was followed. But it needed to be married to a good soul - a soul that  _ gave _ . Some of the true believers forgot that as they ascended… likely another test of Heaven. She;d seen a few succumb…. And Fall.

She stood and nodded at the Virtue, “Thank you. Lead the way.”

Bow looked worried, “Um.. .want me to come?”

The Virtue turned, a look of consternation on her face, “NO! I was told to bring Lady Catra! No  _ Cherubs _ were mentioned. It is not your…. P…” she trailed off and blanched. Catra folded her arms and arched an eyebrow.

“Not your place to question, huh?”

The Virtue dipped her head, “Forgive me, my Lady… I was… I was told to fetch you. This is Dominion business and…”

“And you have aspirations, do you not?  _ Opinions _ about worthiness? Or whether certains citations carry more or  _ less _ worth?”

The Virtue seemed to cringe, “I… meant no disrespect.”

“Don’t take me for a fool. You did. You just didn’t mean to say it out loud. But this place wrings the truth from you. Here is your first lesson: humility. Do not apologise to  _ me _ .”

The Virtue looked up and met her eyes, then flinched at Catra’s gaze. Then she turned to regard Bow and bowed again, “My apologies, Lord Bow I… I overstepped. My enthusiasm for the order clouded my judgement and I spoke out of turn.”

He regarded her for a moment and nodded slowly, “That’s fine. Just try to avoid being rude. You’re keen. I get that. But, because you’re new, I want to you to learn something. You were ocne a human, a low thing from  _ down there _ . You've been raised up. Proved yourself, somehow.”

The girl looked up, perplexed and cautious, “My lord?”

“After this, barring your current… role… I want you to report to the Hall of the Heart. I want you to take a shift with my Chorus. Do the work. Understand what they do. Then you can  _ judge away _ . But… remember. What has been given  _ can _ be taken away. This place will teach you that lesson if you become  _ prideful _ . Remember that.”

He smirked at Catra who gave a wry grin, “Karma, I like it,” she looked at the girl, “You want to be a Power one day, don’t you? Smiting evil and all that? Or a Dominion, setting right things that go wrong? Investigating the weirdness of the worlds?”

The Virtue shifted and nodded, “I… yes, my lady. I want to do good.”

“By removing evil? That’s how you think it works?”

The girl frowned and gave a half shrug, “Is it not?”

“Nah… what good is it killing stuff if you don’t grow anything in its place?” that was Bow from his lounging position on the grass. He was chewing on his apple pastry (Catra had long since finished hers).

The Virtue gave a slow nod and then drew a deep breath, “I will… consider that my lord.”

“Cool. Just don’t be a bi-”

“OK!” interjected Catra, “Lead the way,” as she walked, she muttered under her breath “ _ Monkeys _ the lot of them…”

Bow gave a short wave as they left, having decided to stay behind and  _ contemplate _ some more. The Virtue led Catra along and they wound their way to the Citadel. A grand, golden set of spires at the very heart of the Golden Throne, the Eternal City. In moments they were at the a vast flight of stairs that led to doors that seemed a mile tall. Before them stood a vanguard of Powers - Angelic soldiers clad in Purple and red armour that glistened like carapace in the light of Heaven.

They came to attention as Catra walked past them, like a wave, their movements rippled down the line. Glistening spears tipped with complex, gem encrusted mechanisms were raised in salute. Vast tower shields thudded into the marble floor.Great, golden wings spread in respectful homage.

The Virtue seemed overawed. Catra just gave a wry smile. Powers  _ loved _ their displays of pomp. But they were good at what they did - and what they did was smash things down to the  _ metaphysical _ level. You wanted something reduced not just from physicality but from causality, Powers would absolutely  _ level _ it.

You got exceptions, of course. None of the Powers ever wanted to tangle with  _ Micah _ for example. And he was an Archangel - ‘just a messenger’. Head of a host, but not a  _ Power _ . But he had the ear of a Seraphim… and had trounced one of the Powers in a fist fight that one time… the Penopolysian War, if Catra remembered rightly.

Of course, Micah had then gone on better and slapped Lightspinner, a Seraphim, around like she was nothing. Some wondered if he’d just been  _ pretending _ to be an Archangel. Others had asked whether the ranks even  _ meant _ anything at all. Catra had leaned toward the latter. A role was important, but it wasn’t a matter of  _ rank _ to her. Just merit. Thinking otherwise was dangerously close to Pride.

The pair moved through the Vanguard and into the great hall of the Citadel. It was a vast, circular chamber, though perspective was always tricky. Currently it was populated by Catra’s fellows - the respective leaders of the Dominion Choruses. The Virtue paused at the periphery and blinked at Catra, then glanced back to the door.

“My lady… the Powers… they didn’t salute the others like that?”

Catra fidgeted slightly, “Uhhh… yeah.”

“May I… May I ask why?”

Catra rubbed her neck, “I, well… I was a Power, back in the Fall. I became a Dominion. Some say it’s a promotion. I saw it as well...a parallel move. We do similar work. They see it as someone  _ competent _ doing the job…”

The Virtue stared at her, “Oh… wow.”

“Aaaand I may have held the line at Muspelheim long enough for a Chorus of Powers to get into position….” she shrugged, self consciously, “It’s nothing. Not all orders have links. But, y’see, you aren’t  _ bound _ to a path. You can change. Never,  _ never _ assume one order is better than another. We all  _ serve _ . You wouldn’t ask a Power to handle affairs of the heart; you don’t get a Throne to wrangle an Eldritch horror. We all have our foci. We can’t run this place without Virtues. Remember that. But remember that you are part of a  _ whole _ .”

The Virtue nodded rapidly, then bowed and stepped away. Catra blew out her cheeks and shook her head. Fifty fifty as to whether that one  _ really _ got it. She turned back to the central chamber and stepped from the periphery. She felt the atmosphere waver and realised there was a ward around the room - a privacy mesh of sorts. Interesting.

Her colleagues turned and welcomed her, their wings fluttering as they all adjusted and parted to let her step forward. She exchanged glances with them and found similar expressions of vague confusion and apprehension.

“So, any ideas?” That drew a series of shrugs and mutters, “Well can’t be completely bad… or else we’d have the Centurions in here too… So, no Armageddon scenario at least…”

That drew a few chuckles. The Four Centurions would have meant the End Times. Usually only one ever attended MAJOR meetings that involved mass deployment of Powers, usually against some demonic extra-planar excursion, or an Elder thing trying its luck. But that was mostly left to the  _ specialists _ of the Dominions. A scalpel rather than a sledgehammer.

“Ahhh thank you for joining us Catra. Apologies for interrupting your meditations. And thank you all for coming. This is… unusual, I know.”

The voice sliced through the air like finely cut glass - enunciated, precise and sharp. And yet it also carried in it a sense of sincerity. Actual gratitude. Catra and her cohort turn to one of the other entrances to watch as a tall figure emerged from an ante-room, flanked by a series of aides and guards. She was tall, with long, purple hair. Her wings were not feathery, but rather luminescent and gossamer, like that of a dragonfly, but still in the shape of a bird’s. She wore a single pieced of clothe, wrapped around her to form a bodysuit with no visible seams, a different shade of purple to her hair.

Her face was drawn into a sad smile, her eyes looked distant and tired. And somehow she still radiated welcome and warmth. Though, Catra realised, noticeably muted.

Angella, Seraphim and Right hand of Mara, surveyed them all, and spoke.

“This is… normally something that would be handled by one of your Chorus directly. However, considering the current activity tempo, we wished to bring you all into this. Some of our scribes in the Principality Chorus, along with several of the Virtues have identified a pattern. This was confirmed by Herne and then seconded by Apollo, after I asked them to review.”

Catra glanced across at a pair of her cohorts - they looked faintly embarrassed. That was puzzling, “What pattern ma’am?” she interjected.

The Seraphim smiled at her and nodded, “Right to it, Catra. Good. We’ll need that. It wasn’t something we easily spotted, obfuscated as a lot of the activity on Earth has become. I understand it was mistaken for hoaxes, or animal attacks. Ghosts, or just normal human.... behaviour. Simplistic things that don’t align with our normal understanding of things. Or how _they_ operate... or operated.”

She clenched her fists, holding in a sigh. Angella was monologuing. It was a habit of Seraphs, of course - dramatic, slightly overbearing. And she  _ liked _ Angella… from the few in depth conversations they’d had. The tall woman noticed and her smile seemed to broaden. She turned and grestured at the air, whereupon a floating, golden image of the World Below sprung forth. It hung in the centre of the room, vast beyond measure yet still comprehensible. Red dots flashed across its surface.

“This is a tracing of the active patterns, timed in sync. As you can see, it forms a path  _ across _ the planet.”

“Something moving,” murmured one of Catra’s colleagues. She nodded in agreement. There was a pit in her stomach. She had a feeling she knew where this was going. Angella looked at the Dominion Leaders.

“My friends, we have a demon incursion on Earth.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, this... this just hit me and has been in my brain ALL DAY. I know i said this would be infrequent... but I guess I lied?
> 
> Aiming for a By the Sword Chapter this weekend, with a Mountain chapter early next week!
> 
> Comments feed my soul - let me know what you think, any mistakes you spot, plot holes or feedback / comments / devotions you might have!


	3. Stairway from heaven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A plan of action against uncertainty. Some truths about the Seraphim and her own answers for Catra.
> 
> And a break's as good as a rest, right?

The Dominions stood in silence., uncertainty clear on several faces, practically  _ radiating  _ from most. Herne and Apollo looked mainly frustrated, clearly irritated at having not spotted this, probably embarrassed that  _ Virtues _ managed it. Angella surveyed the group calmly and held up her hands as all the Angelic investigators began to speak at once.

“Calm, please. Note I said  _ incursion _ not  _ invasion _ .”

Catra manage to elbow her way to the front of the crow and huffed, “Wait wait wait…. The numbers point to a  _ mass _ of activity, even if it is on a linear path across monkey-ville. That indicates, like, a  _ lot _ of demons. The fact that the impact on the mortals is reflected to a point it’s noticeable means there’s gotta be…. A good size horde; we talking a Phalanx here? Maybe an Arban? A Yaghul?”

Next to her another Dominion nodded, “And why now? We’ve had the odd imp, maybe a Squire come topside, but they just… sit in one place and try to tempt individuals. This seems… “

Angela looked pensive, “We do not know. The fact that the activity is  _ precisely _ along a path and doesn’t fork, or expand all that much when the presence is static implies it isn’t a horde… rather it’s a  _ single _ demon. Or a small group.”

Catra frowned and peered at the map, “Even if this is low level stuff, the impact, now we  _ know _ it’s demon sourced… that’s… that’s gotta be a….”

The others exchanged a glance and Herne shuddered, “A  _ Prince _ ?”

Angela nodded slowly, “It is a possibility. Or a very organised group. The Rulers and Princes rarely come up. From what we understand there is a lot of… back and forth between the Circles. Jostling for authority.”

Catra smirked, “Shadow Weaver doesn’t get it all her own way…”

Angela shook her head, “After all, Hell is not her  _ domain, _ just her current refuge. It was occupied before, remember. The Fall has rather soured relations between our two planes, especially with Shadow Weaver not being imprisoned there, but  _ thriving _ instead.”

The Dominions exchanged glances and Angela took the opportunity to adjust the setting. The image of the sphere rose high, whilst a circular table flowed from the floor like water. Chairs materialised, in a Grecian style, allowing the Angels to sit with their wings out.Angela took a large chair at the table and gestured for the others to sit.

Catra couldn’t help but look at the map more closely as she sat down. She barely registered the scroll that was placed in front of her by one of the scurrying Virtues, but glanced down at it briefly - a summary of the activity, the time stamps and so on. It made her purse her lips.

“Ma’am, are we  _ sure _ this isn’t a false positive? A normal uptick in human activity? Monkeys being monkeys? We  _ have  _ observed a trend in apathetic behaviours. I mean, they had two wars in a generation that  _ dwarfed _ anything before. And that had absolutely  _ zero _ demonic involvement.”

Apollo leaned forward, “We’ve read your analysis on that Catra. I still find it hard to believe they had nothing to do with  _ either _ of those.”

Catre smirked back at the golden-boy of Heaven. Apollo was loud, sarcastic and a bit arrogant. But he was a good sort, “Just because you didn't write it down first.”

He chuckled and held up his hands, “Maybe. But, still…. Humans are….”

“Monkeys. You let something grow like that, base most of its interactions of reward systems and power dynamics then stick a _loada_ free will and manifest destiny in there? Yeah there’s a  _ reason _ we’ve struggled with them.”

Angela sighed, “Debating the variances and issues of the human condition is not the  _ purpose  _ of Dominons, Catra.”

Catra adjusted in her seat and offered a shrug, “With respect, ma’am, I think it  _ is _ . We police otherworldly infractions, investigate the things that go bump in the astral. And part of that  _ is _ whether humanity is the thing  _ bumping _ . And it  _ does _ tie in here. If this is a sign the humans are slipping further away without demons even  _ trying _ ?”

She let the question hang in the air. The other Dominions sat, quiet, clearly uncomfortable, while Catra met Angela’s gaze. The elder Angel regarded her then nodded slowly, and addressed the group.

“Catra raises pertinent points. Our analysis could be worst case - the Virtues making a leap. Unlikely, however. But it would behove us to confirm things. We do not wish to shift to an Armageddon solution prematurely. This is why I have called you here. The Dominions are, as Catra has eloquently put it, tasked with monitoring the vagaries and variances of the Universe. Tracking anomalies and incursions of all stripes. The fact that this was missed is… unfortunate. I would ask that all of you focus on your Choruses, ascertain why we have lapsed so.”

There was a general shuffling of wings and glances exchanged. This was a dressing-down, clearly. But, it seemed a deserved one. Catra, however, was now poring over the scroll. She frowned.

“I can see why this was missed, though. I mean, there is  _ zero _ pattern. There’s… there’s no plan. It’s a series of weird, disparate actions that just happen to take place chronologically close to one another in a line, like some sort of… pilgrimage. Where was the first recorded action?”

Angela flicked her wrist and the globe above them spun, appearing to zero in on a spot in the Middle East, “Here, the time was… by the human calendar, A few scattered incidents, ghosts, monster sightings which _could_ just be wild animals... then a MAJOR on in 1977. A port, I believe, Umm Said. Some vessel for conveying a substance called crude oil… exploded.”

The Dominions leaned forward as several images, fully three dimensional, flickered to life, showing the fire. Catra studied it, “Yeah this looks like human stupidity. Next one looks to be… a  _ revolution _ ? How’d we miss  _ that _ ?”

Angela frowned, “As you say, humans being humans. It didn’t fit the usual modus operandi. No abject chaos, no visible declarations of alliances. No occult dealings within the various actors.”

“Except we ended up with a fanatical follower group… never fun,” mused Herne, “So how was that in the demons favour?”

The group exchanged puzzled glances. They ran through the list, a trail of seemingly innocuous activities - some major (Wars, accidents, protests, corruption); some very minor (civil disobedience, a spike in petty thefts; public nuisances). The path left the Middle East and transitioned through Europe, diverted through to Africa, then slammed and seemed to sit in the Americas until the present day.

Catra felt mildly impressed - the demons were being  _ subtle _ . Well, they tended to be on an  _ individual _ level - going for the specific souls. Contract obsessives, to a tee, they tended to go for  _ quality _ over  _ quantity _ . Oh yes, they’d been bestial and raging things of raw emotion in ages past, when humans were spread thinly - you needed mass impact for followers, or servants. The past couple of centuries they’d gone for specific individuals but no real  _ broad _ goal. This looked like someone acting out, or part of a grander plan. If that was it, it was almost  _ elegant _ . Scattering ripples across the globe - sowing greed, avarice and rage on a  _ national _ level.

“Catra, you seem… disturbed?”

“If this is humans alone, it’s still a problem. Something we do need to deal with, if we want to continue Mara’s will,” she mused, eyes glued to the sphere, “If it’s demons, it’s a change of pace that, frankly, we need to know more about. Either we’ve got someone going to town and just… causing havoc or it’s part of a bigger plan. We know Shadow Weaver wants revenge on a  _ cosmic _ scale and it’s only her issues with the rest of Hell that keep her from acting on it. This could be her new plan.”

“Demons with a long term goal,” hummed Apollo, “Not good. We sure they could even manage that? They aren’t  _ good _ at playing well with one another.”

“An advantage  _ we _ have,” mused Angella, “They will be trying to outperform one another. To experience the  _ sense _ of the world. Demons are unbridled, unchained, unrestrained. They cannot do aught but excess. This may work to our advantage, allow an opportunity to pin them down.”

Catra steepled her fingers and listened as the others debated. Some were putting forward an option of  _ zero tolerance _ \- ID the most recent location, send a Century of Powers in and level it - mask it as an eruption or earthquake. Others wanted to wait, observe, glean an idea from the pattern, learn from that.

“I’ll go.”

The room fell silent and all eyes fixed on her. Catra blinked and realised it was her speaking. Angella quirked an eyebrow, “Catra?”

“Um, well… we won’t learn by just observing. And the whole  _ flaming sword of justice _ thing hasn’t been done since Tunguska and  _ that _ didn’t go too well. Also, in either case we run the risk of reading too much into things - we stay passive, we get paranoid and think EVERYTHING is demons… which could be part of the plan. We smack down… again, not good. We know how monkeys like to project. What if we only get an underling. If they’re using new tactics, this could be a way to draw us out in force, see what we’ll do.”

“To what end? Not like they could invade…” muttered another Dominion, “No way a Demon could last ten seconds here, they’d burn to a crisp! Cease to exist!”

“Maybe. We don’t know, that’s why we need to find out. And if they get enough power... maybe the _could_ make it here? Earth’s at a tipping point, we’ve know that for a while,” Catra flung up her hands and sighed, “If the Demons think now’s a good time to start walking the Earth well… maybe we’ve been a bit  _ too _ passive." 

Angella clucked her tongue, “Free will, Catra. Too much interference and souls are not accountable for their actions. How can they be seen to have lived well if we puppet them?”

“Well, then, the whole darn dust ball isn’t  _ worth  _ then. But, if we want to give them a shot, we need more intelligence.”

“Why not send your team? Juliet is a capable commander…”

Catra leaned forward, “Yes… with no experience of  _ fighting _ demons. Not  _ big _ ones. If it is a Prince, you need someone with experience.”

“So you believe a Dominion Chorus Champion should be the one to investigate this?”

“I’ll defer to your judgement, Ma’am,” Catra sat up straighter, “But I think...I think I  _ need _ to do this. There’s a lot of activity there - we may need multiple teams. I suggest a Chorus be given the task of on the ground surveillance and taskings, with others being retasked to investigate for other patterns. We want to be careful, not to scare off the demon, let them go to ground. And...” she exhaled heavily, “I would… like for that to be me.”

Angella regarded her then looked at the others, “Anyone else wish to challenge, to volunteer?”

The rest looked at Catra, then back at Angella. Herne spoke up, “My lady, I support Dominion Catra in this. She is the first of us, the foremost. I saw her tackle Lightspinner with Adora.”

“You, Herne, have faced down many foes yourself. You are a skilled tracker…” mused Angella.

“Yes, Ma’am. I feel I would best serve aiding this effort, with my Dominion in support, rather than taking the lead.”

Apollo nodded in agreement, “My own Dominion would be best placed to assist in collating and sifting. We made a grievous oversight. We became complacent. I would like to rectify that here. Catra’s Chrous has been the most proactive at riding out to meet the foe. This would be… the most sensible course.”

There was a series of assents. Many of the Dominions, whilst experienced in combat, were more  _ pacifist _ in their tasks - balancing the equilibrium in the stars, offsetting mortal imbalances on a much more personal nature; rectifying the more extreme of human behaviours where they could, without impacting free will.

It gladdened her as the others nodded in support. The Seraphim tilted her head and regarded Catra again, “Your task is a daunting one. If you insist on this, it may have to be you and a limited set of companions. We are… more limited on Earth now. The nature of reality there is  _ heavy _ .”

Catra pursed her lips, “We would draw attention?”

“Perhaps. A full cohort of Angels descending to the Material? It will have an impact on local weather patterns, mortal behaviours, the very fabric of reality. We are rather… impactful, after all.”

Catra nodded, “Yeah, I remember the whole  _ shepherd _ incident. How many did we go through before we realised we could burn out eyeballs?”

Around the table, Angels winced. Angella sighed, “Yes, well. You may need to be careful who you choose.”

She couldn’t help the words, “ If Adora was here, I’d drag her along but since  _ no one _ knows where she is….” she trailed off as she saw the expression on Angella’s face tighten. Not in anger but in… what? Grief? Fear? “Ma’am?”

“I…. it’s. It’s nothing. Your fondness for a fallen comrade is admirable.”

“Wait, fallen?”

Angella winced, then straightened, “I misspoke, Catra. Adora is… sadly not with us. Where, we do not know. Mara is…. And I say this in  _ confidence _ to all of you… is in mourning. She fears her daughter is lost to the winds of space and time.”

Catra stared. All this time and no answers and now… this? “Wh….why … no memorial? No records? Why not?”

Angella shifted, “This is not the time, Catra. Suffice to say, it is because we simply  _ do not know _ . And so, Mara holds out hope. And we say nothing. And hope that she returns from wherever she is some day. We find no record of her. We find no trail. Memories are… fragile with regard to her. Even now… I can barely recollect her face…”

Catra stared at Angella, the Seraphim’s eyes having gone distant. She wanted to stand and shout:  _ I REMEMBER HERI _ But she stayed her tongue. There was something else here. She recalled Kyle’s words, about how something was masking things in the Library. The other Domions seemed equally confused, but stayed quiet.

Eventually Angella shuddered back to action, “Apologies, Dominion Catra. If you are.. .dissatisfied, please remain and… I will speak with you. IThe rest, please liaise with Catra to ensure her cases and investigations are covered, as well as her new priority given your utmost support.”

The others all stood and bowed. Catra waited, hands planted on the table.The Seraph watched the others go then turned to her.

“Catra… let us talk.”

\----------------

When she left the great Citadel, Catra was, if not  _ mollified _ , at least calmer. That was the first long conversation she’d had with Angella since  _ Micha _ had vanished. And, it seemed, things were not as certain at the top.

First off, Adora’s vanishing had been a bit of a shock to  _ all _ . In that there was a lot of confusion around it. Several Angels had been wounded in an Archive, which had been burned. That was Adora’s last known location. After that, it had gone cold. Thrones had scoured the planes, scried the various dimensions and found  _ nothing _ .

Catra had protested, said that if she’d known she could’ve helped. And Angella had smiled and touched her cheek: “ _ You would’ve helped as best you could. But it would have brought you pain.” _

She exhaled as she descended the steps. Her response was clear in her mind  _ “But it would’ve been my choice.” _

Angella had nodded at that then confided another thing to Catra: That her own Daughter was  _ also _ gone. Hence the pain, the desire to spare others suffering. It had happened well after Adora had vanished, though. But it had been… avoidable, too. And in a way it felt  _ worse _ .

The Seraphim had  l ost  _her_ Daughter as well. That had sucked any angry retort from Catra.

Angella hadn’t been clear, almost evasive about it, “ _ Glimmer was… angry. Not… evil. But her emotions, her drive… they could not be contained. She just… wanted to find her father and I… I did not help. And now, because of me, she is also lost. Not, in the way of Adora. But I cannot get her back. To lose one of your loves is terrible Catra; to lose another because of your own grief... it was nearly more than I could bear. I knew of this grief, before either were gone, hence why I tried to spare you it. But now I have felt it twice, I am more certain I did right by you.” _

Catra hadn’t know how to respond to that. But she’d recognised the sudden desire to protect, that had clearly sprung from first Adora’s disappearance, then Micha’s… and now, this  _ Glimmer  _ girl’s own departure. It had clearly made the Angels lock-down in a way, keep the knowledge to a minimum. That lack of understanding an a City where everyone  _ knew _ near everything had clearly scared them.

Regarding the Daughter, Catra had never met the girl. She wasn’t even sure to which Chorus she’d been. There were many angels - there had been a good seventy Dominions in that room alone! The Host was an impressive size, so it wasn’t surprising she couldn’t recall the girl, despite her being a Seraph’s daughter. She had a faint memory of purple hair and a slightly bossy attitude, but that was all she could muster.

Angella had moved the conversation on, passed her a scroll with contacts, information and a summary of likely avenues to take. It was mostly superfluous - Catra was  _ good _ at her work. But the contacts were useful Angella had fixed her gaze on Catra and expressly said:

“ _ Liaise with the Earth-side teams. They’ve been there the longest, know the world. Use them. They will be helpful. But…. be understanding.” _

She was roused from her thoughts by a throng of souls that brushed past, laughing and sharing a story. Men and women, clad in clothes from across eras - togas mingled with business suits and board shorts. She watched them go and sighed, feeling a sudden pang of  _ something _

“Hey, Catra,” her eyes flicked over and she smiled as Bow pushed through a throng of souls that were idly taking in the architecture around the Citadel, “Thought you might be out now… saw Herne, he said you stayed behind?”

“Uh yeah… got some answers  _ finally _ . Or more questions. I tell you Bow, this place is.. .getting chaotic.”

She beckoned him to follow and they ambled through the streets. Catra inhaled and, between one step and the next, they found themselves in golden fields. Bow stumbled slightly and frowned at Catra, “Warning next time, PLEASE.”

“What? No cat-like reflexes to fall back on?”

“Still annoyed by my whole  _ tongue _ comment, huh?”

“That’d imply I held a grudge and that’s borderline  _ sinful _ .”

“Eh, maybe.”

“Well then. Anyway, it’s… it’s been a  _ day _ .”

They walked through the tall grass to a lone tree at the centre of the meadow, where they sat and reclined against the trunk. Bow glanced to his side, “So, spill? The summons was just an excuse so that Virtue could pester you about a job?”

Catra deadpanned back at him and sighed, “Nah… I’m uh… I’m going to Earth.”

Bow sat up straight, “WAIT a MOMENT! Back that all the way up. You’re  _ what _ ? They.. .they can’t just… banish you? For asking about Adora, for what?”

Catra smirked, “Simmer down, Bow. No it’s uh… for a job. I volunteered. Figured it’d be good. Stretch my wings. See the old stomping grounds again, y’know?”

Bow settled back, still a bit antsy, “Why?”

“Demons.”

“WHAT?” he was upright again. Catra scoffed.

“Nothing I haven’t dealt with before. And only  _ probably _ demons. Not even probably. Likely just the monkeys being idiots. As per usual. It’s too far off normal demon behaviour, too long term to be them. With Adora just vanishing and  _ no one _ knowing why and…. Well… I think everyone in the palace is paranoid. Jumping at actual ghosts. So, go down, clear this up, bag any Imps that may have sprung from a seal, and BAM. Boredom solved, get a vacation out of it And maybe plan what to do about this wall I’ve hit.”

Bow eyed her carefully, “So… when do we leave?”

Catra opened her mouth, frowned, then looked at him, “What?”

“You heard me. When are we going?”

“No. Absolutely not.”

“What? You said it was only  _ possibly _ demons.”

“I SAID probably! Or not at all!”

“So what’s the worry?”

“Angella said I couldn’t take my chorus - too… noticeable. Apparently too many of us might start a typhoon or something. Side effect of the whole Glory thing…”

“Yeah you do like to show off the guns,” murmured Bow with a frown, “Righteous fury does mess with the whole water cycle…”

“Not my fault Mara made a busted system that can’t handle my awesome,” grumbled Catra, then shot an apologetic glance at the sky, “NO OFFENCE!”

Bow chuckled and leaned back against the tree, “So. I’m not part of your Chorus.”

“Still an Angel,”

“Cherub, though. We’re, like, built for  _ stealth _ . Can’t hit a person with an arrow if you’re silhouetted in floodlights and have a  _ literal choir _ hailing you, y’know.”

“I do  _ not _ do that.”

“Hey, I remember Jericho. That was you showing off. You had your Chorus doing something with  _ horns _ .”

“Weapon testing! Nothing major!”

“You blew up a  _ fifty foot tall wall a mile long _ . In ONE GO.”

Catra mused for a moment, a faint smile ghosting across her dark-furred face. Her gold and blue eyes twinkled with memory, “Heh, yeah. That was kinda cool.” Catra smirked and shrugged, “But that was ONE TIME.”

“Then there was the whole  _ shepherd _ incident.”   
  
“NOT my fault. We only blew out a few eardrums until we worked out the right frequency. If Mara will let them grow such fragile appendages, I cannot be held responsible. Anyway, I said that to Angella... and it was mostly eyeballs..”

Bow snorted, “Still not answered my question. And I’m gonna keep asking. I can  _ help _ . I know  _ people _ . How they THINK! How they act!”

“Yeah, so? I… I can deal with Mortals just fine!”

He stared at her, “Can you do it without making them defecate?”

“....maybe?”

“Without burning out eyes, or causing lightning storms?”

“...possibly,” she ground her teeth

“How’s your comprehension of earth customs?”

“...they eat food? And… do things…?”

“Wow. So well versed. Someone’s spent too long around gas giants and things with tentacles.”

Catra sagged, “Fine! But I need to meet some sort of Earth-side liaison anyway. I’m sure they’ll have me covered.”

“I’m  _ hurt _ Catra. I may have things to do down there anyway, you never know.”

“DO you?”

“I  _ might _ . Been a while. Need to check in, ensure the field work is getting  _ done _ y’know. Just like  _ you _ .”

Catra smirked and shook her head. She still struggled, occasionally, to understand how Bow ran his Chorus. Lots of sleek Angelic beings that flitted too and fro, spreading love and passion in healthy amounts. But then again, the Cherubim did spend a  _ lot _ of time down on Earth, even if it was fleeting. More than the Archangels, Powers or other Choruses. So maybe…

“Ok, fine. Can’t imagine this liaison will actually be tagging along. Not if they’re managing  _ all _ visitations. So… yeah, company might be good.”

“And having someone watch your back is always good.”

“What’re you gonna do? Make the demon fall in love with me?” she shoved Bow, who laughed, then retorted.

“Hey! Might be a good way to get some intelligence.”

“YOU need to get some intelligence, you idiot.”

They laughed for a while, then settled down, basking in the golden light that suffused the air around them. Catra stretched and let her wings flutter, then she stood. Bow sighed but didn’t move, “I’m just gonna relax for a bit. Then go see my Chorus, make sure they’ve got it covered. Practically runs itself, though.”

“I’d say you were lazy, but…”

“I’m  _ efficient _ , Catra. Can’t force love. Just nurture it. Also, gotta give the guys something to do. Can’t hog the glory, y’know?”

“Hmmm, right. Well, I’ll brief Juliet, then… swing by the Archives. Might be useful to get some info before we head down.”

She began to walk away and Bow called after her, “Say hi to Kyle for me! Oh and tell him none of  _ that _ in the stacks!”

Catra froze, shuddered, then continued on, Bow chuckling behind her. Around her the air morphed back into the city and she set about her work.

The more she thought about it, the more uncertain she was about the cause of the spike in sin and chaos. Humans just muddied the waters so much. And it really  _ didn’t _ fit with demonic approaches. But this would give her a chance to just have a break from the City. Perhaps a change of scenery would do her good. And Earth wasn’t  _ that _ bad.

It’d be a good break. And clear her head. Something to  _ really _ get her teeth into.

With a spring in her step, she headed towards her Chorus’ barracks, electing to take the _scenic_ way. There was no rush.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a bridging chapter here, just to ramp up, ready for the FUN AND GAMES of Angels on Earth!


	4. Free Falling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The start of the road trip. And adjusting can take a while.
> 
> The investigation begins properly and Catra picks up the trail. But what, exactly, are they up against? Their encounters with humans do not get off to a great start.

_ Going back to Earth _ . The concept felt strange to Catra. Alien. And, if she was being completely and utterly honest with herself:  _ daunting _ . She’d been  _ back _ a few times, of course. Recently even. Sort of. Ish.

For a few minutes.

In the odd decade.

So why was this more  _ intimidating _ ? Yes, she’d had a smack down with something made mostly of tentacles and far too many apostrophes in its name that ended up with them blinking into existence somewhere in the middle of the coastal Americas, then back into a plane made entirely of geometric spinning fractals. That sudden immersion into the Middle Kingdom had knocked the wind out of  _ both _ of them, reality actively affronted by their metaphysical combat.

Then there was that time she was chasing an Imp for nabbing a soul en route via the Messengers. That had caused a  _ minor _ electrical storm in Europe, over the strange, rainy island called  _ Wessex. _ Or  _ Angland _ . Or whatever it was the Monkeys decided to carve into their globes these days. The Imp had been quite resilient, one of the Horde’s most common troops - grown in vast pits, some offshoot of a more senior demon or  _ thing _ from Hell's myriad forges and warrens.

But she’d gotten it, forced it out of the real after a blazing fight with ball lightning. It hadn’t really fought back but was  _ jinky _ . Hard to get a bead on. Which was why she preferred fighting  _ big _ things. More to hit. Slower.

But a consistent, elongated stay on the mudball? That was different. The last time she’d had, well… company.

_ Still do _ , she pondered. But Bow wasn’t quite the same - he was her best friend, closest confidant and a trusted advisor, despite his not being a Dominion. But he didn’t have the same  _ intuition _ as Adora, the same drive, the same… view of the Universe.

It was something she only thought about sparingly these days - how she felt part of herself was  _ gone _ . She felt imbalanced within herself and, despite Bow’s gentle urgings to replace it, she knew she wouldn’t.  _ Couldn’t _ . Even when she’d been resentful at Adora’s absence, she hadn’t acted. Because that would’ve been out of  _ spite _ \- a dangerous emotion for an Angel.

But now that she knew that  _ something _ had happened, she felt guilt: for thinking Adora would’ve left without a word. She felt ashamed for believing that of her oldest, dearest friend. But there was nothing she could do. Not right now.

“Dominion Catra! Oh thank Mara, was, uh… ooh… worried I wouldn’t get here in time!”

Catra, who’d been lounging in one of the Mana bars near the Golden Gate, perked up as she recognised the Virtue jogging her way through the plaza. He was being trailed by a reptilian spirit. She smirked faintly as the pair approached and nodded to them, “Kyle. Rogelio. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

Rogelio sketched a bow then began rattling out an explanation in his scratchy, gargling voice. Kyle nodded along as Catra parsed the words. Then Kyle interjected.

“Thanks buddy… um, so, not just what Rojelio said - we’;ve got the compiled intelligence and records you requested on all the, uh… the sites you want to inspect. I’ve also put together a bit of a historical analysis on, um, all the, uh, locations - come context for you. Local customs. I think it’s up to date, the Archive isn;t great with little details strangely. OH! And, um, this scroll… oh, where’d I put it.”

Rogelio coughed and pulled a slim scroll from Kyle’s belt loop, then arched a scaled brow and chuckled. Kyle grinned and shuffled his feet. Catra shook her head and sighed, “Thanks you two.. So what’s this one?”

“Oh um.. Something I cooked up. It’s, like, a direct link to the Archive. Well, not the  _ whole _ Archive. But it can provide summaries of what’s in there and, uh… it’ll alert me if you need information which I can then put together and transcribe to that scroll. Remotely.”

Catra stared at it, then at Kyle, “Wow. I… I didn’t think that was possible? Even Thrones would… would say that…”

Kyle looked bashful, “Oh it’s, um… it’s just a similar trick to how mental summons work, just conveyed into an osscil- oh this won’t interest you. It’s just some old stuff, things we haven’t tried in a while. Remember the, uh, the tablets?” Catra nodded, “Like that, except two way. Should save you time if you need things in a hurry. Less back and forth.”

Catra looked back down at the scroll, then back at Kyle, then down again. She swallowed, “Uh… wow. Thanks… Thanks Kyle. This is, uh… more than I expected.”

He beamed at her then grasped Rogelio's clawed hand. The lizard glanced away as if distracted, but grinned, “No, you've uh… you’ve been kind, my Lady. Not all the senior Angels are. I mean they;re not  _ nasty _ but… but you, well. Thanks. And if you need anything, we’re happy to help.”

They gave her a bow, then sauntered away, chatting. Catra stared at the satchel Kyle had left, its small collection of scrolls visible within. She smiled faintly and slid the special scroll within, then sealed the satchel. With a thought it shifted into a small wallet, which she then slid into the breast pocket of her blazer.

She’d decided to adopt a more  _ human _ approach - white pant-suit, white shirt, white blazer with a gold effect on one shoulder. She’d gone with a cape over it as well, to really sell her  _ importance _ . It would surely ensure that any humans were aware she had rank and thus would be afforded respect and courtesy. She’d augmented this with several rings. She allowed herself a little vanity - each ring depicted a faint pictogram of some of her favourite names whilst on the planet below. She couldn’t use  _ all _ her names, or else she’d end up with what essentially would’ve amounted to a knuckle-duster.

“Looking  _ sharp _ Catra!” she glanced up again and sighed. Bow practically  _ swaggered _ across the plaza. He was also in a suit. With a crop-top shirt. She frowned at his bare stomach.

“If you’re doing that, remember that they have that… weird umbilical cord leftover.”

“Only  _ some _ of them do.”

“Well, complete image and all that. That said, I imagine they’ll not notice and co-operate… so probably doesn’t matter.”

“No,... no you’re right, detail  _ is _ important. And can’t believe you noticed before ME! I’m the people person!”

She smirked at him, “Yeah, all that creepin’ on people, getting them to… do stuff with body parts.”

“You can say  _ sex _ , Catra.”

“Monkey sex. No  _ thank _ you. You good to go?”

Bow nodded and she saw a pack slung over his shoulder. His collapsible bow was holstered against his leg, along with a small quiver on his lower back. She arched an eyebrow at it. He shuffled, “What?”

“When I asked if you were gonna make the Demon fall in love, I didn’t think you’d take me literally.”

“What? OHHHHH. No, um… no. These are adapted. Imbued with heaven-light. And, um, the love stuff probably would just make them  _ really _ ill anyway. Pits of hell? No positive emotion? I mean, aren’t they all MURDER DEATH KIIIIIIIIL?”

Catra stared at him and opened her mouth, then paused. A frown creased her face and she held a finger up. She closed her mouth, then started again, “Actually, no idea. Mainly just.. Zapped ‘em. Pit fiends are weird, barely sentient so, who knows. Worth a shot, maybe? The ones from Hell? Ehhhh never  _ really _ talked with them. Even before the fall. They were… moody. Trolls, dark elves, dwarves. Just…. Kept to themselves until they picked sides. But… I’d  _ hesitate _ to say they were just…  _ negative _ ,” She shrugged at his confused expression, “We don’t talk about it. No point. We’re never visiting Hell again, they’re never spending time here again… yeah, that sort of knowledge gets… lost. You  _ honestly _ never met  _ any _ of them?”

“I mean… Satyrs? But they’re neutral.”

“Some tribes came from Sheol, y’know?”

“Wow, did  _ not _ know that. Oh and a few nymphs,” Catra waggled her eyebrows and Bow snorted, “Not like  _ that _ . We were… working together. Rome, I think, during pre-Imperial days? They had a grove, we did some poetry, was nice!”

“Uh huh. Well, the nymphs are mostly Earth. A few sprites are from the Niflheim aspect of the place. Svartalfheim and….  _ Anyway, _ stop distracting me with your… weird artistic stuff. What I’m saying is… they’re nasty pieces of work  _ but _ they aren’t rage or sin personified. First mistake you make down there is assuming you’re up against something  _ simple _ . If it’s a pit fiend, yeah, easy as. Arrow to the face, holy fire to the chest, down it goes.”

Bow nodded and slid into the seat opposite her, “And… if it’s not a pit fiend?”

“Depends. Troll, couple of arrows, just make sure you keep it in sunlight so it can’t heal. Were, well… depends on the type. Vampiric offshoot?  _ Easy. _ Pin it down. Arrow’s are good for that. Pureblood demon, bit more of a fist fight,” she sucked in a breath, “Fallen Angel…. Leave that to me. And go see if you can’t summon a few Powers.Depending where in the Hierarchy it was before it Fell, we could have an uppity former Virtue or…. Maybe an Archangel.”

“What if it’s…” Bow leaned forwards and whispered,  _ “Lightspinner?” _

Catra stared at him. Then nearly fell backwards laughing. She slapped the table as she snorted and cackled. A few souls and Angels glanced in her direction. Bow looked offended. She wiped her eyes and calmed down, then saw his face. She couldn’t stop grinning, “Hooo, ok. So,  _ no _ it won’t be her. Namely because, while she’s running the show down there, mostly, she’s still got her ass trapped in a frozen lake. Most Princes are… embedded, as it were. And if it was here, she’d be kicking up  _ everything _ . She wants a showdown. Mara would be here,  _ now _ . Because she’d  _ know _ if Lightspinner was out.”

Bow looked faintly mollified, “I guess that’s ok. But still could be dangerous?”

She shrugged, “Could be. But I’m betting it’s actually a pack of Mythics who’ve gotten bored and are just travelling and drawing too much attention. That’d explain why it’s not been too major for the most part. Reckon it’s blending in with some actual minor demon activity, hence the spikes. But I’ve got Juliet working with Herne and the others. They’ll update with new stuff while we check the old trail.”

She stood hefted checked her attire, then paused as she manifested her weapon of choice. It coiled from her hand like a golden thread and she cracked it against the plaza stones experimentally. Light flickered and flashed in a wave of heat as the whip curled up at her command, looping back to coil around her wrist into a seemingly harmless bangle.

Bow arched an eyebrow, “Wow. That’s pretty fancy.”

“Yeah. Took it from a Demon, had it cleansed and reforged. Swords and spears and lances… they have their uses. No one expects a whip.”

“Fair… so…. Shall we?”

She nodded and they marched purposefully towards the gates. They loomed before the pair: vast, seemingly infinite in height, yet comprehensible at the same time. Flanking the gates were a pair of Thrones. One had decided that today was clearly an  _ esoteric _ day and was currently in the form of a wheel with eyes along the rim. The other was far more sensible and approachable and waved at them.

“Hey you two! Good luck out there! BREAK A LEG! And if it’s a demon, kick is black carapaced ass for me!”

Catra grinned, “We will, Netossa. You on gate duty, didn’t think you had to?”

The leader of the Order of Thrones leaned forwards from her seat - she was currently suspended in what looked like a vast, golden spider-web that was threaded between the air itself. Six wings fanned out, whilst her purple and white gown flowed down almost to the plaza itself, “A good leader shouldn;t be afraid to do the duties of their Chorus. Makes you distant, makes you  _ complacent _ . Can’t have that. You two take care now. It’s… changed a lot down there.”

That got a snort from Catra, “We’ll be  _ careful _ . But seriously. They’re  _ monkeys _ .”

Netossa smiled thinly and settled back, “All the same… watch yourselves.”

The vast gates shimmered before them and opened. They stepped through.

And  _ fell _ .

\-----------------------------

It was different from flying in Heaven. There, the air responded to you, like a partner in a dance. It cushioned, supported, felt pleasingly warm and comforting.

Not so in the Real.

The air was  _ cold _ and hit like a slap in the face. It was also most certainly not very  _ supportive _ . It seemed actively  _ hostile _ .  Catra tumbled, shocked by the cold and the roar in her ears. She felt something she couldn’t immediately place, but realised with a jolt that it was  _ panic _ . She was  _ falling _ . Was she falling to  _ hell _ ? Had she transgressed? Was this what it felt like.  Her wings tumbled and flailed around her as her mind raced - could she  _ die  _ now? Would she just hit the ground and…  Wait. Wings. She had  _ wings _ !

Her mind seemed to clear, or at least become a  _ bit _ clearer. She fanned out her broad, white wings and snapped to a halt with a wince. She was still falling. Well, more  _ gliding _ now. Slowly, she marshalled her thoughts - the transition had knocked her, clearly. Other planes she was used to, prepared for. And never quite material. Here, she;d been an idiot and walked through fully incarnated, but in flesh.

With a wince, she dialled back her form, removing much of its physicality. She could  _ die _ in meat form, but it’d be more an  _ inconvenience. _ Unless killed by Hellish means, of course. That was a whole different issue. One she didn’t wish to explore.

She hovered now in the cold air and took in her surroundings. White clouds, tinged with grey. Bitingly cold air. Starlight above. And no sign of Bow….

Then she heard a distant noise. Screaming. She rolled her eyes, then angled herself down and  _ dove _ . She plunged through a cloud, accelerating, and saw the Cherub descending in a rapid spiral, his wings rigid and body flailing. And above it all, somehow carrying over the whipping wind came his voice.

_ “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO…………….” _

She swept in like a diving hawk and slammed into him, plucking him from his descent and then, with a beat of her wings, pulled him higher. He stared at her, teeth chattering. She frowned at him and  _ thought  _ at him, “ _ Demanifest a bit.” _

He blinked then seemed to go a bit less  _ defined _ . His shivering stopped, “What… in the name of  _ Mara _ .. .happened?”

“I uh… forgot that the Gate tends to spit you out a bit  _ high up _ . And that we were um… dressed for human. Not, well… this. And that, well… uh.. Yeah. We’re a bit more  _ vulnerable _ when we’re… yeah, being mortal-ish.”

“It’s  _ cold! _ I haven’t felt cold for… for  _ ages _ .” They hovered and she let go of him, letting his slightly smaller set of wings take his weight. He grinned at her, “It’s  _ amazing _ . Oh  _ wow _ .”

She watched, bemused, as the Cherub did a slow loop. He became a little more  _ real  _ and began shivering again. Catra clicked her tongue, “Y’done yet? Plenty of time to learn about the wonders of how freakin’  _ flimsy _ monkey’s can be.”

“I mean, I’d nearly  _ forgotten _ …”

“Yeah, slight change in ambient temperature, a small trip or even a few berries and  _ bam _ empty meat-suit. I swear these things should’ve been  _ designed _ . We’d have gotten more of the flaws out…” she sighed and flapped in a lazy spin, taking in the featureless clouds, “Anyway, let’s get our bearings and….”

A noise suffused the air around them and the cloud split apart. Something  _ monstrous _ and  _ white _ barrelled past with an ear-splitting roar and sent the pair of Angels tumbling. Catra flailed and grasped at anything, trying to stabilise herself. Fingers caught on metal and she blinked. She was holding onto the  _ thing _ that had tried to ram them. Some sort of Demonic trap? Humans aware of them and in full revolt?

She glanced around and saw she was clutching on to a long, pointed piece of metal. It tapered to a tip to her left. Her gaze tracked forwards, seeing naught but early evening sky, then to her right. Where there was a metal  _ cylinder _ . It was flanked with glass apertures.  _ Windows _ . She stared and realised there were  _ Monkeys _ inside the tube. Imprisoned? Damned? Eaten by the behemoth?

She realised that several of the monkeys were staring at her. She blinked, then waved reflexively. A few of the monkeys…  _ humans _ …. Waved back, seemingly shocked.

She took stock of her situation and realised she didn’t  _ really _ need to be hanging onto… whatever this was. So, she let go and spread her wings. A backblast of air sent her backwards,but she avoided tumbling. She watched as the strange  _ thing _ roared away, flying with ease.

She  _ felt _ Bow approach and spun in the air to stare at him. They spoke at one.

“What was that?”

“Are you ok?”

They locked eyes, then began to laugh, shocked. Catra got her breath back first, “I think… I think we need to land….” she eyed the air around them and realised the clouds were darkening, “We… uh… may be doing stuff to the air.”

“Our chemistry is that strong huh?” deadpanned Bow. Then he grinned as Catra rolled her eyes, “Ok, fearless leader. But, please try not to get, like, smashed by any more metal dragons…”

Catra spun gently and sighed, “I  _ think _ … I think, if I recall my  _ very  _ slight amount of research… that that was a helicopter. Maybe a zeppelin? Eh, something Leonardo cooked up, probably. Let’s… land and work out where we are.”

They angled down and  _ dove _ . The air whooshed around them and Catra, now fully aware of herself and her surroundings,  _ thrilled _ at the experience. It was so much richer than in Heaven. Heaven had it’s comfort, its safety. But there felt like there was a  _ risk _ here. Even if it was illusory. Beside her, Bow screamed and laughed as they descended. The ground roared up to meet them, all dusty brown and built up, against a mass of greeny-blue… the  _ ocean _ .

They spread their wings and  _ landed _ with a CRACK. Around them, lightning flashed and crackled, the very earth they stood on scorching with their arrival. Above, the clouds boiled over and thunder rumbled.

Catra inhaled and shuddered, a manic grin on her face for the barest moment. Then she sighed and nodded. Bow looked about and blinked.

“Huh… not as… grand as I expected.”

She looked at him, then at their surroundings. She had to admit it was a  _ little _ underwhelming - they stood on grey concrete. Metal boxes loomed around them whilst the briny tang of the sea suffused the air. Nearby, a vast metal ship listed at port. It was silent, save the gentle sloshing of the waves and the vanishing thunder. Catra shrugged.

“Gotta start somewhere.”

“So… where are we?”

Catra smiled, “Didn’t think it wise to start with some animal attack in the Afghan hills… thought we should aim to hit the first  _ major _ incident. The explosion…. Umm Said port,” she frowned as she looked about, “Give the monkey’s credit… this place is bigger than I expected.”

“So, uh.. .what are we looking for.”

“Residue. Demonic impacts linger, leave a sort of… sour taste, or a smell…. But for your immortal  _ being _ . Taints the area, makes mortals act funny for  _ years _ . Or it does if they do anything  _ substantial _ . Like… blow up a ship.”

Bow crouched on the ground and traced his finger through some sand on the concrete, then brought it to his lips. He licked at it and frowned. “Petroleum, some phosphates, a hint of lavender for some reason. Also, fifteen hundred and twenty different sets of shoes, three of them with a habit of favouring their left foot, forty with improper feelings towards co-workers annnnd… one guy who drank  _ way _ too much.”

Catra stared at him and wrinkled her nose, “Ewww…  _ licking _ it? Why?”

Bow stared at his finger, “It…. seemed the right thing to do?”

She shook her head, “All of that true?”

Bow nodded slowly, “Auras… faint, just from today.  _ Lots _ of foot traffic here. Seems like this is close-down time.”

“You  _ are _ a people person,” murmured Catra.

“Part of the job… need to get a feel for the people you’re seeing. Their environment. That means trailing, building a picture. Not just from them, but from what they  _ do _ . And everyone leaves a trail. This place is  _ messy _ but I don’t feel anything… non human. Not here at least.”

Catra nodded, a sense of deflation creeping in. Was this a run around? A waste of time, “Huh… well, it’s a big port.”

“Yeah. Plus this is, like, the first stop. And it’s been a few decades. Does demon weirdness stay around that long?”

“Sometimes. Depends on the demon. An Imp isn’t strong enough… a Prince we’d still get something if we were close by.”

“HEY! YOU THERE!” the voice was in Arabic, deep and impatient, “Trespassers on the port are not allowed. You have violated the law! What are you, terrorists? I am ARMED!”

Catra blinked slowly, then looked over to where a man was advancing upon them. He was.. Average. Black beard, a dark blue uniform and a large flashlight which he currently had trained don them. She could hear him speaking into a radio on his chest and sensed the approach of more humans. Well, she could her running feet.

She watched, idly, as the man slowed his approach. He was clearly noticing her more  _ feline _ features. Then he spoke again, “What is this? Fancy dress? Are you from the Marine? Fall off your yacht? Weird Americans…” when he spoke next, it was in halting English, “You… speak Arabic? Or you  _ English _ ? American?”

Catra turned to face him, her hands planted firmly on her hips, “I am Dominion catra, of the Fourth Chorus. Herald of the Glory of the Tenth Chapters, Messenger of on High and Vanguard of the End times. Where I go, I bring forth the glory of our Lady. Praise be, mortal, for you have been chosen to assist us in our noble works.”  She stood there, keeping her  _ presence _ to within tolerable levels. She didn’t want another repeat of the  _ shepherd _ incident. She smiled as the mans gaze fixed on her. Then she frowned as he gibbered. Then he blinked. Then he went stiff as a board and toppled over backwards. He didn’t crumble - he maintained his upright position, limbs and all, just now  _ horizontal _ .

Bow glanced over from where he was squatting, then walked over and prodded the fallen man, “Uhhh… I think you broke him.”

Catra huffed and spread her arms in an affronted gesture, “WHAT? I mean, I used like  _ a twentieth _ … if that. And look! His head is… intact, right? They go mushy when they’re not.”

Bow bent over and lifted an eyelid on the catatonic man and squinted. He nodded slowly, “Well, uhhh.. He’s still in there. Seems to be having  _ an experience _ . He’s… um…  _ very happy _ right now.”

That made Catra’s expression go stony, “What.”

“OH! Uh… no. Not like that. But he is a bit… blissed out. Think you hit him with the  _ good news _ a bit hard, girl. I don’t think the humans are… practiced with it, maybe?”

“That’s… ridiculous. Well, he’s down. Leave him, we’ll explore a bit more, see what we can see.”

They left the fallen man and began a circuit of the port. Every now and then they ran into a human and the result was usually one of three things: Catatonia; the human sprinting off in terror; or the human falling to their knees and gibbering at the pair of them.

Catra face palmed at the flailing human before her. They’d met maybe twelve of the monkeys now and this was the second one to start professing their loyalty and recanting their (apparently) MANY sins.

“...and I promise to _never_ covet my neighbours wife again… _really_ hard. Or his new moped. Mine is fine. But, if I may, can I please be blessed with fruitful chances in love…?”

She was about to dismiss that as she leaned against a cargo container, fingers pinching the bridge of her nose, when Bow chipped in, “Um….  _ maybe _ . So, Abdullah...you’re a  _ decent _ guy… mostly. And, clearly… know your way around this place.”

The human (Who looked like every other human as far as Catra was concerned) nodded eagerly, “Twelve years, sir, since I was a boy, oh servant of His Glory.”

That was  _ another _ weird thing. Why’d they think Mara was a  _ guy _ ? Yeah, gender was kind of meaningless to those of the Heavenly realms, but  _ still _ …. Bow continued.

“We are investigating a potential…. Issue on behalf of the Lady. What do you know about the explosion?”

The worker’s face clouded over and he looked thoughtful, “Before my time, my lord. But my father, he was here, he  _ saw _ .”

Catra leaned forwards, frowning, “And?”

“Said it was like the fires of hell… erupted from the sea,” Catra’s eyes glistened, “But it turned out to be a split fuel line. An accident,” she deflated. Then he continued, “Led to a lot of anger, though. Injured family men, payouts, people losing jobs… bad time. Some men were… unhappy. But it made a lot of people angry in the main offices. Many men came, tried to blame my father and the men for poor work. Led to anger, shouting. My father says he saw the devil in those men that day. All their money lost, they were just  _ rage _ ….”

Bow and Catra exchanged looks. She smiled faintly, “It was a stationary tank, you say?”

“Oh yes, a storage tank.”

“Could you take us there?”

The trio wended their way from the storage docks, towards the petroleum lines. The human, Abdullah pointed across the bay to where the vast collection of metal towers and storage tanks sat, “Over there, my lords. I… I am not allowed.”

Bow turned to him and laid a hand on the man’s shoulder, “Thank you. Now, your reward. In three days, do not work. Tell your masters you are ill. Then walk to the souk at 11:43 precisely. Make sure she doesn’t step into traffic. Be courteous. Offer to walk her to her family nearby and speak kindly to her mother. Then leave. Return to the souk  _ two days _ later… and well, you should be able to handle it from there.”

The man nodded vigorously, “Thank you, masters. Praise be,  _ Assalamu Alaykum,”  _ and he popped forwards and kissed Bow’s forehead carefully, then moved to Catra to do likewise. She blinked in shock, but Bow stepped forwards with a smile.

_ “Wa’alaikum salam _ . Thank you, Abdullah.”

They watched the man bow, then turn, then walk away, his steps light and relaxed. Catra turned to Bow and shook her head, “Monkeys are… weird.”

He shrugged, “Seem fine to me. Bit of back and forth.”

“He should’ve just.. Done what we told him.”

“Hey hey… no harm in helping. And he didn’t  _ expect _ something. He asked…”

“We’re Angels. Bargaining feels… wrong.”

“To you maybe. For me, it’s part of negotiating the win. Aaaand that’s going to be a  _ good _ relationship.”

She snorted, “Ever the altruist. Alright. Let’s go see what we can see.”

Behind them, they heard the shouts of confused security guards, but they ignored them. The pair spread their wings and flapped up, sending gusts of dust behind them. Below, the waves rippled as the flew low across the bay towards the fuel-enclosures. Catra had thought about teleporting, but found the  _ reality _ around them made just… stepping the distance almost inconceivable. She didn’t want to risk it.

Bow shuddered, “So much… steel. It’s so  _ ugly _ . And, well.. .wasn;t the disaster decades ago? Surely they’ll have removed any damaged stuff? How’re you gonna find the trail?”

Catra glanced around and skewed her lip, “We’ll see… bets on how long before I have to start ordering humans to leave us alone?”

“Ohhh fifteen minutes while the guys back there try to convince the guys here we’re real,” grinned Bow. He shivered again, “What is  _ with _ this place… I mean, I’m sure I’m not  _ that _ sensitive.”

She shook her head and glanced at him, “No… not just you. I can feel it too. Doesn’t feel…. Human, that’s for sure. Maybe it’s the….”

Catra froze. They were walking between towering fuel tanks as the sight before her made her swallow.Bow bumped into her and then peered around her shoulder. He squinted and frowned, “Am I… am I seeing  _ that _ ?”

She nodded slowly, “I think we can write off  _ ghosts _ or  _ mythics _ .”

Before them, invisible to the human eye, about a centimetre above the ground, floated a faint, inky stain in the shape of a circle. It wasn’t  _ around _ anything, or at least it wasn’t anymore. Within was a complex series of smudged runes, etched away by time rather than by any  _ physical _ erosion. They were Nordic in origin. In the centre was a line with a pair of parallel lines jutting up at a 45 degree angle - a symbol for  _ luck _ .

“Catra, what is that?”

She squatted down next to it and tentatively reached forward. Her fingertip tingle and the air chilled, “It’s ok… it’s inert. Looks like a curse, timed. See the faded runes here? These things are normally set up to ensorcel a mortal or deny an area… but this one was put on a  _ timer _ . And the bad luck it summoned meant it  _ etched _ the curse into an after image. A few more years, though, and it’d have faded away.”

Bow blinked, “So… what?”

“Whoever did it probably caused the fire, but in such a way to… not do anything  _ physical _ themselves. So… it might’ve been a human. But then you have to  _ imbue _ this stuff with power. That takes  _ energy. _ ”

“Like… what? Holy relics?”

Catra nodded, “Or sacrifices. Animal, plant, or burnt offerings. But something that guarantees failure to cause an explosion… lotta energy. And I don’t get a residue of sacrifice. To Mara or anyone else. So this came from someone's personal stash… which  _ could _ mean a relic… or a warlock.”

She leaned back on her heels and frowned. Bow looked around the area, then up. He tapped Catra on the shoulder and pointed up. She followed his finger and frowned - another mechanical contraption was buzzing high above them, a searchlight seeping through the maze of metal pipes, searching. She sighed.

“I guess they want answers. And I don’t fancy dealing with more humans right now. Let’s… withdraw. Plan our next move.”

The down draft from the helicopter above blew more dust and loose debris through the fuel-park as Catra and Bow sank out of sight, pressed against a bulky tank. The machine passed low overhead, the pilot seemingly reckless. Maybe he wanted to see what had the security teams so riled. Or maybe he was a thrillseeker.

Papers blew past, along with discarded plastic bags. Waste and detritus. Catra waved a hand in front of her face and glowered as a paper bag flattened against her plan. Feathers from seabirds and crows fluttered by. Her eye caught on them and a thought had half formed, before Bow yanked her arm, “If we’re going, let’s go!”

With that they moved. Catra extended her wings and, whilst the helicopter swung out over the bay to make another pass, the pair took to the air, vanishing into the night sky.

Below, in the quiet of the fuel-park, a black feather settled back down. It touched against the invisible boundary of the curse-trap and there was the faintest flash of black flame. For a brief moment, the trap seemed to solidify, then faded again, the runes too far gone, the connections long since burned out. The feather dissolved to ash. But not before, for the briefest of moments, it flared white.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so it begins.
> 
> Leave a comment if you like - my ego loves some feedback, or just to see your thoughts or expectations!
> 
> Let me know what worked / didn't work for you!
> 
> And I'll be popping art links in here as the AU grows, to loop it back to the ORIGINATORS of this. Go pay them a look on twitter - #CelestialAU


	5. Grounded

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Interactions with humanity do NOT go well. The trail seems obtuse.
> 
> Local Bureaucracy gets involved.

Earth, it turned out, was  _ difficult _ . For one, getting places was a  _ chore _ . Aparating was practically impossible because the air was full of….  _ Things _ . Signals. Grit. Insects.  _ Flying metal tubes _ .

It was also  _ draining _ . Even when they were minimising their physical footprint, they still had to pause, to soak up the rays of Glory that filtered down with the sun's rays. Ambient energy was  _ off _ slightly. Bow seemed to be not quite as impacted and walked down the dusty road whistling happily.

Catra on the other hand practically  _ slunk _ along. They had their wings concealed, but were still attired in slightly obtuse  _ white _ and  _ gold _ .

In the middle of a desert.

On a dirt road.

“Ugh this… is…  _ infuriating _ .”

Bow glanced at her, “Hey, you’re the one who said we shouldn’t fly in the day time.”

“No I said we shouldn’t  _ visibly _ fly in the day time.”

“Scared of upsetting humans?”

“Psh, as  _ if _ . What can the monkey’s do? No, I don’t want to warn the  _ thing _ we’re tracking that we’re coming.”

They had flown across the sea overnight, then landed a little further inland, north of the land they now knew as  _ Qatar _ . This one, Catra remembered, used to be  _ Persia _ . Some tribes had warred in the region when she’d been down last. It had involved elephants.

There was a distant  _ crack _ and Bow stumbled. He looked down at a dimple metal disc that was embedded into his flesh. He winced faintly, “ _ Ow _ . That stung.”

Catra blinked, then squatted down next to him and prised the disc away. She frowned at it and looked up at Bow, “Copper, some lead… weird. Large lump to. Did you... ?”

There was another  _ crack  _ and her shoulder jerked. She winced and looked down. Her face formed into a frown as she saw her jacket was torn and her shoulder had  _ another _ flattened disc pressed against it. She pulled that away and frowned at them, then looked up at another  _ crack _ . This time the ground nearby puffed as something pinged against packed dirt. Catra blinked, then arched an eyebrow at Bow who sighed.

“Someone is… loosing at us?”

“These aren’t arrows, Bow.”

“Lead pellets… um, like the Chinese rocket things? Oh you remember… those Portuguese traders gave some to the Shogunate?”

Catra creased her forehead, “Oh… OH!!!! Yeah, then the humans got… enthusiastic with these things. I remember.”

Around them, the ground was spattering with more shots. Bow jerked again and winced, “OW! Why does it hurt?”

Catra hissed as another skimmed over her skin, the jacket torn in another place, “Still sort of physical. And this place has  _ rules _ . One moment,” She stood and cupped her hands around her mouth, “EXCUSE ME! We’re HAVING a CONVERSATION.”

The firing stopped. Catra could  _ just _ make out, on the wind, distant conversation. She turned to Bow who was frowning down at his shredded trousers. With a flick of his wrist, they became whole once more. Catra tutted, but did the same to her jacket. Bow looked back up at her, “Do we  _ have _ to walk?”

“Well, the next site is… somewhere north-west of here? We  _ COULD  _ move faster somehow….”

Bow clicked his fingers, “HORSES! If you don’t want us flying, we could maybe encourage a local mercantile individual to, um… lend us some?”

The ground began to puff again as the air filled with the sound of gunfire. Catra rolled her eyes, turned sharply so the balls of her feet ground into the soil, then  _ launched _ herself at a dead sprint towards the gunfire, vanishing over a small, scrub-riddled rise. Bow blinked then winced as he heard distant shouts, more gunfire, then a few screams. Silence fell.

Catra emerged from over the small rise, clothing a little more blackened. There was some blood on her, but not much. She huffed and rolled her shoulders, her clothing repairing as she approached. Bow cocked his head, “Anything?”

The Dominion shook her head, “About six monkeys. Bit of a rabble really. Had those metal tube things… uhhhh…. Pistoliers? Muskets? Eh, bent a few, slapped a couple around and sent the rest running. A couple of wheeled carts but couldn’t see any horses. Guess we keep walking.”

“You  _ killed _ them?” Bow held a hand to his shocked face. Catra rolled her eyes.

“ _ No _ . But they won’t be shooting anyone for a while.”

“Did…. did you  _ judge _ them?”

“WHAT? No, no… small time. Not proper  _ sinners _ just idiots. If you went to Hell for being an idiot the place would have to start stacking souls…”

They trudged on.

\-----

A few hours later, the pair found themselves at a quarry. Catra brushed some stubborn, gritty sand from between her bare, clawed toes, “Ugh. Hate this stuff. I may have to try a  _ shower _ or something…”

Bow nodded slowly, “Not  _ quite _ the hanging gardens is it?”

Catra surveyed the open quarry, now abandoned in the middle of the desert, “No… but that wasn’t  _ too  _ far from here. Damn shame about that place. AMAZING wine…. And I don’t credit human foods that often.”

“Take your word for it. Prefer the Roman stuff myself.”

They slid down the stony scree into the quarry proper. The place was abandoned, not a soul present. At the bottom sat a stagnant pool but little else - some rusted metal from discarded scrap and the odd rotten wooden beam. Bow sucked in air, “So, what happened here?”

Catra planted her hands on her hips, then looked around, “Huh… can’t tell. One moment,” she fished the wallet from her pocket then let it expand back into a bag. She rooted around within then pulled a scroll free, which she unfurled, “Hmmm, nope… not that… uhhh.. Oh  _ here _ . So, rockslide, followed by  _ laughter _ .”

Bow looked at her, “Laughter.”

“Yeah… a  _ woman’s _ laughter.”

“What’s so spooooky about that?”

Catra screwed up her face and traced a clawed finger down the words, “Ohhhh. Seems this is or  _ was _ a male only zone. So, uh…. No women allowed? Also, no visible observable cause of the rockslide? Apparently it was one of a few incidents.”

“Check for more of your curses?”

“Yep.”

They scoured for a few hours, as the sun sunk low over the horizon, but found nothing. Catra squatted down on her haunches at the lip of the quarry and shook her head. Bow stood next to her and folded his arms, “This a bust?”

She nodded and frowned, “Probably whatever we’re chasing decided to just… mess around. No big goal. So why the explosion? That took effort. Time. This just seems… petty.”

“Maybe we should find the humans, ask them?”

Catra made a disgusted noise, “A few monkeys? I can barely feel the aura of this place - it’s dust. Why bother with this, it’s old. Let’s mark it down as non-priority, low yield. The upstairs teams can sift through details and track any witnesses. Not our issue. I  _ don’t _ want to traipse ‘round a literal dustbowl for longer than we need to.”

“I hear you. This grit is just  _ nasty _ .”

They turned at the screech of tyres and exchanged glances. Three  _ wagons _ roared down the dirt road and smashed through the chain link fence around the quarry. The three vehicles skidded to a halt in front of them, a good hundred yards away. Each of the wagons had some sort of crossbow mounted atop it. Except without a  _ bow _ element. And mostly metal.

“You have violated the Sovereign borders of the Iranian Republic! Throw down your weapons and surrender! By order of the Republican Guard!”

Catra gave Bow a shrug and stepped forward, “Be calm, humans. Peace be with you, for I am a servant of the L-” a shot rang out and she stumbled. A disc of metal fell away from her midriff, the shirt beneath split by the impact, “ _ SERIOUSLY?” _

The soldiers seemed non-plussed. Several had piled out from the backs of the technicals, whilst the gunners atop them seemed stunned. The man who’d fired checked his rifle and re aimed, whilst a beret clad officer blinked. Bow stepped forwards.

“Hey, we come in  _ peace _ ,” Another gunshot and he winced, “PLEASE stop doing that!”

The officer panicked, “OPEN FIRE!”

Catra yelped and staggered and Bow fell over under the hail of bullets. Catra rolled backwards, over the lip of the quarry. She braced against the edge as bullets zipped overhead and puffed against the dirt above her. She blinked.

Why was she  _ hiding? _ It was  _ metal _ . Fine, if she was  _ mostly meat _ they could hurt her, eventually shred the shell but that’d take  _ hours _ . It just… well it stung. Mainly her pride. Did they not know who she WAS?!

With a growl she launched into the air and spread her wings wide, glowing with the power of Heaven. She was like a second sunrise. Below her, Bow was lying prone, staring straight up, a look of abject shock on his face - the humans had  _ upset him _ it seemed. Catra glared at the cowering monkeys.

“ I am Dominion Catra, of the Fourth Chorus. Herald of the Glory of the Tenth Chapters, Messenger of on High and Vanguard of the End times. Where I go, I bring forth the glory of our Lady. And you are  _ really REALLY  _ testing my patience!”

She flicked her wrist out and her bangle uncoiled into a whip. She cracked it down and, when the tip hit the soil, the ground  _ shook _ . The vehicles rocked and the soldiers fell. One point at her and shrieked,  _ DJIIIIIINNNNNNN! _

She balled her fists and flapped her wings hard as she wrung her hands at the sky, “I AM A BLOODY ANGEL YOU STUPID STUPID  _ MONKEYS!” _

Her whip swung through the air and sent a shockwave out that bowled the soldiers over again. Her radiance increased and those men still standing dropped their weapons and fell to their knees, cowering. Bow, wincing stood up and grimaced, “Might want to tone it down? A couple of them are foaming….”

“Right now… I am annoyed. Who do they think they  _ are _ ?” she strode to the officer, who had his forehead pressed so hard into the sand it’d probably impact grains into his skull, “You, soldier-boy,  _ up _ . NOW.”

The man struggled to his feet and whimpered. Catra grimaced as she saw a damp patch spread over his trousers, “Forgive… we… we did not no… we will pledge ourselves to the might dji-”

“ANGEL! I AM AN ANGEL YOU…. UGGGHHHH.  _ BOW _ . Do your… people person thing with him,” she huffed and coiled the whip back around her wrist. One of the soldiers had struggled to his feet and levelled his rifle at her, quaking as he did so. She stared at him and went, “Boo.”

He squeaked, stumbled backwards and dropped his rifle. She surged forwards, caught it in mid air, then snapped it like a twig. Then she glared down at him.

“Uhhh… easy Catra. They’re…. They’re a bit confused why you look like a  _ cat _ .”

“I don’t look like a cat,” growled Catra, “Cats look like  _ me _ . What the  _ heck _ are they shooting us for?”

Bow spoke to the quavering officer again whilst Catra kicked at the stones around them. The other soldiers had retreated to huddle behind one of the vehicles. Idly, she realised she’d knocked on completely over. Curious, she walked to one of the still-upright wagons. No horses. But there was something akin to a Greek steam engine within it.

She fiddled with the hood of the vehicle, then , getting annoyed again, she tore it off. That sent the soldiers ducking away agai, which in turn gave her a pleased feeling - shooting an  _ Angel _ … really!

She studied the complex metal contraption within the wagon and nodded slowly. She wasn’t a mechanical  _ sort _ but she could admire creation like this. A simple series of chemical reactions to produce force and translate that energy into something else. Levers but turned to different functions. She glanced up as Bow approached, “So, uh… some of those other people shooting at us aren’t friendly with  _ these _ humans and… well, they captured one of them who then told these guys about some  _ crazy Americans _ .”

Catra frowned, “What’s an American?”

“I think it’s a nation state? America’s remember? From there maybe?”

“Huh, maybe. So many  _ names _ ...So, they what, thought we were spies?”

“Seems so.”

“Ok. Now what do they want?”

“To very much  _ not _ go to hell.”

“Well, I can;t help three of them, that’s a done deal. The rest… eh, good behaviour, renounce force of arms and devote themselves to charitable works, we’ll call it even,” Bow nodded, then returned to the officer. He paused as Catra called after him, “Oh and I want one of their horseless carriages.”

\---------------

A few more hours later, the pair were rattling along more substantial roads They’d left the soldiers behind and Catra had used an obfuscation ability to cloud their memories. It was tricky but humans were a fairly malleable lot - provided you didn’t push too hard. So, she’d left them with memories of an ambush and them chasing phantom enemies in the borderlands. Truth told, she wasn’t good with the subtle stuff - so there was a chance they’d have a few spotty memories or just flat out blank the last day or so.

That was a problem for a cleanup-team, of course. She made a note to brief their liaison when they met them.

Bow was  _ driving _ \- he’d picked it up fairly quickly. The engine rattled uncomfortably at first as he’d learned the systems but now acted as if he’d been doing this sort of thing for centuries. Catra reclined in the passenger seat and read through another scroll, “So, uh… three more minor sites. Then we hit the Ottoman territories… thennnn, looks like some time in Scandinavia, but most of that’s animal sightings and individual reports.  _ Then _ … ahhhh  _ America _ got it, I get it now. It IS a country. I knew that. Duh, got mentioned in the briefing and everything. “

Bow chuckled, “You’re getting forgetful,”

“It’s… it’s this place. Whole different set of rules, planar anchoring and mental structures. Takes some adjustment.”

“Yeah. So, where am I goin’?”

“West… I can…  _ sense _ the next site.”

“That good or bad?”

“Not sure...”

\---------

Their next few stops were relatively uneventful, despite Catra's "feeling". Catra only made one person speak in tongues, for example when she realised she still had her wings out. It took until the third site for her to realise that cat tails and ears were  _ not normal _ around humans.

They stopped briefly at the Taq-e-Boastan to investigate their third stop before the Ottoman territories. Catra had adopted a more  _ human _ guise, but they were still in full white. And turning up in a dusty, battered Republican Guard Toyota landcruiser was not  _ subtle _ . All said, though, people gave them a wide berth.

Catra stared at the carved reliefs and frowned. This had been an animal attack, but it had  _ chased _ everyone away. And again the whole  _ woman laughter _ theme. That seemed to be something that was happening in a fair few of the locations in all the scrolls. Someone was having  _ fun _ .

She tried to find a clue but could see nothing. With a huff she gave up and turned, then paused. She squinted at one of the carvings. Someone had done something to the  _ horse _ carvings. She peered at them and saw a faint, black tracery of demonic influence around them.  Except… it wasn’t h _ armful _ . It was a  _ charm _ . A protective spell. Demons could cast them, usually granting them to familiars, or witches in their service. A spell to protect a stone carving? Or… just a  _ piece _ of the carving?

What warped, confused mind were they dealing with here?

She straightened and walked back to the vehicle. Bow was engaged in an animated conversation with a pair of uniformed men. They seemed faintly dazed as they spoke to the Cherub and ended up wandering away, giggling. Catra arched an eyebrow, “Making friends?”

“Always. Nice guys. Just needed a  _ little _ nudge. So, we done?”

“Yeah… I think we need to skip to the next  _ big _ site. This breadcrumb idea is….weird. Revolution . _ here _ , some protests in Ott…  _ Turkey _ . Got a few explosions across Europe and strikes and civil disobedience in the north in Anglia or wherever… what’s the  _ theme _ here? Is there one?”

Bow reached over and took the scroll and traced a finger down, “Huhhh… lots of… fighting. But… this stuff seems to be  _ against _ authority.”

Catra lounged against the hood of the car and crossed her arms, then pampered at the scroll, “Maybe. That’s  _ some _ of what demons claim to be about. Rebelling against the  _ yoke of oppression _ .That’s Lightspinner rubbish though.”

“Hmm, but you say they buy into it?”

“Yeah… they do, “ Catra went quiet for a moment, “So, rebellion, or… challenging authority? That seems good.”

“Not  _ evil _ though is it?”

Catra shrugged, “It’s…. Complicated. Demons tempt people to  _ excess _ . Chaos. Not necessarily  _ evil _ . We’re order, balance. They’re. Unbridled.”

Bow squinted at her, “Is that jealousy?”

She snorted and shoved him, “No. Just… respect. Before the Fall… Hell was just a destination. Not a punishment. Like Valhalla if you were good at fighting, or Elysium if you were good at art or whatever…. Just… Lightspinner made Hell  _ worse _ . A factory for making souls into weapons and more. Demons just went with her because they’re wired for  _ freedom _ … and got shackled.”

“Always puzzled me that. Why encourage evil to just then… torture them?”

“Again, it’s punishment. Hell and the like were meant to be a  _ challenge _ . Not a goal. Or, as I said… a destination if that’s what you were. The Pits are for… the  _ worst _ . Irredeemable, the cruel. But it’s all really blurred now. So confusing. Don’t ask too many questions, Bow. It’ll knot you up.”

“Gotcha. So.. we know they’re a rebel. Fomenting dissent, chaos. So do we keep following the breadcrumbs, see what we’re dealing with?”

Catra mused, “We’ve tried the start… let’s skip a few, try Europe… then hit this  _ America _ . Seems the trail stops there, but I want more information before we blunder in.”

“Aye aye!”

“What?”

“Oh, uh… just a term I heard.”

“What do my eyes have to do with it?”

Bow shrugged helplessly, “Not a clue.”

She huffed, then looked at the car, “Think we need to leave this here. Interesting. Maybe get one next place we stop. Saved on walking… and flying. Speaking of…” She stepped away from the car. The sun was setting again and she allowed her wings to unfold, “If we’re going to hit Europe before tomorrow, need to get a move on.”

Bow nodded and followed suit, rolling the scroll up to hand to Catra, who slid it in with the rest. Then they took to the air. Around them, humans stared and blinked. Not many, due to the time of day, but a few. Camera phones came out and tracked the pair as they vanished into the low hanging clouds.

\-----------------

Europe was, likewise, a bit of a bust. The activity had been  _ people _ centric and many of them were now  _ dead _ . And the dead were not co-operating - namely because the affected were in Hell and, thus,  _ off limits _ .

Except one. 

Catra rubbed her forehead as she perched atop a grave in some northern England cemetery and peered at the apparition before her. Finding this one had been a stroke of luck. Sort of.

Beside her, Bow chewed on something that the man who’d sold it had insisted was a  _ pasty _ . He chomped away, clearly enjoying the sensation of gravy, meat and strange dough. Catra could smell the constituent parts and was thoroughly  _ undecided _ .

“So, say that again,” she asked, for the fifth time. The spirit before her was in the records as a particularly territorial and  _ grumpy _ sort.

“Aye, well, as I were telling, we were walking down t’hill, towards mine, when them coppers they came oop the hill and, well, let me tell  _ you _ I’ve never seen a lass so fired up. She proper  _ laid into ‘em _ . Never seen a rozzer go down t’punch like it, let me tell  _ you _ .”

Catra frowned. The spirit had been fixated on a single fellow protestor. Some girl in punk getup. Not a miner, some sort of  _ revolutionary, “ _ So, what, you’re sticking around for her?”

“Aye, she said we’d all live forever! Just had t’push through, fight the power, y’know. I mean, we were in it for, y’know, the pay, ‘n’ all that. Stop closures. Then Thatcher did her sending the rozzers in. Truth be told, only met the girl that day. Friend of a friend of a friend. But, y’know, she were  _ proper _ firecracker. Got us all riled up, like we could take on the world… and by ‘eck we felt we could. Challenge them poncy berks in blue, rip down t’government. Give them shysters a kicking, y’know?”

Catra glanced at Bow who nodded as he translated the idioms as well. She smiled and returned to look at the spirit. It had no real definition, just a vague humanoid shape, “What makes you think she’ll come back?”

“Aye, well… that’s what Angels do, int it? Come back, ferry you t’beyond and all? Thought tha’s what you were here fer n’all.”

She twitched, “Angel huh?”

“Aye, wings ‘n all! Well, I only saw cause I followed her when she ran off down an alleyway. Few of us did. Thought she were leading a flank of the coppers to get t’mining offices, y’know? Then saw her… big black wings, like from t’Bible. Angel o’ death, but by ‘eck, a stunner.”

Catra leaned forward, “What did she look like.”

The spirit grinned, “Not a clue. Got clocked on the ‘ead by some bloody copper. Woke up in a cell. But never forget those wings. Got meself sectioned for ranting about it, but eh oh.”

She regarded the spirit and then nodded, “Thank you. And, um… well, I think you’ve earned a reprieve.”

“So, that’s it? Enough being stuck in a bloody graveyard? I tell thee, get’s dull when you’ve only got Cedric and Maud to chat to fer thirty years.”

Catra nodded, then looked at Bow, “Can you sort it? Get a Virtue down, make the arrangements?”

“On it.”

The spirit seemed to smile and began to fade, whilst Bow squatted next to the grave and traced a few symbols. Catra sighed with frustration - it was the closest they’d gotten to a  _ description _ . Black wings -  _ could _ be a Fallen. Or a potential demon. Clearly it could influence men to violent acts and seemed persuasive. If this wasn’t just a hallucination. And there  _ were _ mythics that could manage it. Sirens. Harpies. Rare, but possible.

She leaned back against a towering mausoleum and sighed again. Bow finished his incantation and there was a faint silvery flash. A beam of light lanced down for the barest moment and then a strange calm settled across the graveyard. Bow nodded with satisfaction then turned to Catra, “What now?”

“America, I guess. Europe’s all dried up. No more curse traps or witnesses. Just… people being dragged into chaos. And you don’t get much Demon stink on them either...whoever this Demon was, she was passing through, going a bit crazy, then wandering off again.”

“Definitely think it’s a demon then?”

“Eh, Nine tenths sure. Or a group of  _ really _ mixed mythics. But it all fits.”

They walked out of the graveyard, exchanging ideas, then paused at the gate. Their exit was barred by a diminutive figure. A diminutive female figure. She looked  _ bored _ and  _ irritated _ at the same time.

“FINALLY. There you are. You do know there’s  _ protocol _ for this sort of thing? RULES? Or has that changed recently?”

Catra blinked. The figure had her hair in some sort of straight fringe and bob cut. She wore a thick jacket, though the weather was actually relatively mild. And she was a good foot shorter than Catra. The Dominion frowned, “Can we… help you?”

“Oh help me? FINALLY she asks.  _ Yes _ you can help me, by not making me chase your annoying butts all over the Mara’s-darned continents because you saw something  _ SHINY _ .”

Bow exchanged a shocked look with Catra, “Uh… Excuse me?”

Catra drew herself up, “ I am Dominion Catra, of the Fourth Chorus. Herald of the Glory of the Tenth Chapt-”

“I KNOW WHO YOU ARE YOU STUCK UP FLUFFBALL. Now. GET IN THE DAMN LIMO. The boss wants to talk,” Catra and Bow leaned back from the force of the small figure’s ire. There was a familiar glow around her all of a sudden. Lesser than theirs, but reinforced by something else. Raw  _ personality _ most like, “Do not make me PUNCH YOU IN THE FACE.”

Ice formed around the diminutive being’s fists and she glowered at the pair of them. Catra exhaled, then smirked, “A  _ dverge?” _

The small being smiled for the first time, “Oh, so you  _ do _ know some things. Now, did I  _ stutter _ ? Get in the car. You two have caused enough havok….”

The Angels looked up and saw that a large white limousine was sat at the curb. Catra swore it hadn’t been there a moment ago. The diminutive being walked to the rear door and yanked it open, roughly. Bow, meanwhile leaned in to Catra, “A what now?”

“Dwarf… Dark elf. What we called the Angels who spent a fair amount of time with the Nordics. Spent most of their time on Earth, integrated a bit…”

“I can  _ hear _ you.”

“I  _ know _ ,” Catra grinned at the smaller being, then turned to Bow, “Best see what they want. I think this is our liaison. Is it you, or…”

“Get. In.” The smaller Angel ground her teeth, “Boss lady will debrief you. Now, get a move on, I gotta drive.”

Bow and Catra exchanged another look, then climbed in. it was a fairly well appointed vehicle - seating around the edges, and a bank of monitors set up at one end, in a corner. A figure lounged in the vehicles interior and turned a bored expression to the pair of them.

“Ugh.  _ You two _ . Frosta! Get us moving, we need to be at the airport, like  _ yesterday _ ,” the voice was a bored drawl. Brown eyes gave them both the once over, “Do you guys, like, have  _ any _ clue? At all?”

Catra bristled, “We have duties. I was given this task by…”

“Angella, I  _ know _ . It’s my  _ job _ to know. Ugh, you skybound are the  _ worst _ .”

Bow leaned forward and frowned, “Uhm, sorry… but who are you?”

The girl adjusted herself in her seat. Catra noticed she’d been watching a series of monitors depicting people in headsets chattering away. Some appeared to be involved in slapstick. One was trying to bail out a boat that appeared to be  _ on fire _ . She frowned, then looked back at the woman. Their hostess wore a teal pansuitand had her hair tied back. It looked blueish in the dim light of the limo’s interior. Her skin was dark, like someone from the Mediterranean. Catra listened while she spoke.

“Wow, not even an intro> DId I even merit a freakin’  _ scroll _ ?” she sighed. Catra blinked.

“Wait.. .you’re  _ Triton.” _

The girl gave a grimace, “Gold star for the cat-girl.”

Bow frowned, “Hey, I’ve seen the temples… Triton was a gu-”

"UUUUUUUGGGGGHHHHH THE GREEKS WERE THE WORST,” Catra leaned back in surprise, “Couldn’t  _ possibly _ have a  _ girl _ being in charge of the  _ ocean _ …. NOOOO. So they gave me a BEARD in all the frescos and statues. WAY to freeze me out. They liked  _ Adora _ , what was the problem with  _ me _ ?”

Catra hid her smirk politely and shook her head at Bow, who seemed confused. But he continued on, “So… still… doing the sea stuff?”  
  
The girl fixed him with a baleful stare, “Does it  _ look _ like it, Cherub? NO. I have had to adapt. Especially since I now run the  _ local _ office.”

“What… what does that mean, exactly? And, um… do we call you Triton?”

“What? NO,” the girl looked back at the screens and tapped a controller; a few of the monitors flickered, “Mermista’s my actual name. Triton was just… because tribes have  _ no imagination _ . See a trident and whoopie, there’s your name for the next thousand years.  _ The worst _ .”

Catra leaned back, “So…. uh… what now?”

Mermista glared at her, “Now you’re done making a mess?

Bow looked between them, “What mess?”

Mermista snorted, “You left so much  _ evidence _ and  _ madness _ in your wake and you don’t even  _ know _ ?. Ugh, Mara save me from  _ idiots _ .”  
  
“Hey, look, we’re here, tracking a demon and….”

“And doing MORE to draw attention that  _ they _ did. Seriously, what do they brief you guys on before kicking you down here?”

Catra frowned, taken aback and folded her arms, “Well, maybe if you came up and told us…”

“Like I would have made it up there? Full of stuck up, inflexible blowhards?” Bow made a gasping sound and Catra winced, “Whaaaat? It’s true. Nothing  _ changes _ up there. Nothing of consequence. At least here  _ interesting _ stuff happens. Does anyone  _ read _ what I send up there? Or is it just stuck in an Archive?”

Bow peered at her, “Are you even an Angel?”

“Duh, of  _ course _ .”

“But… you haven’t fallen….”

“Wow, you’re  _ observant _ . Surprised you haven’t solved this already,” drawled Mermista, “No. We just…we don’t want to overthrow it, y‘know? Just… we have different interests. And I can’t exactly  _ help  _ if I’m stuck up there. You need some on-the-ground  _ help. _ ”

  
Catra shifted again and glanced out the window at the passing scenery. She closed her eyes, exhaled, then turned her focus to the Angel. She couldn’t guess at her Chorus - she’d been earthbound a  _ long _ time - it might not even apply, “So…. you’re the Earth liaison…. What now?”

“First off… we get to the USA. Second, I give you the lie of the land and some  _ advice _ . I can’t stop you. But I can  _ ask _ you to not be idiots.”

The Dominion huffed, “I don’t see…..”

“OH BY MARA YOU ARE THE  _ WORRRRRST _ . Humans are fragile. They are also,  _ REALLY VIOLENT _ .You break their little bubble of skepticism and belief and BAD THINGS happen. Not to  _ you _ but  _ around _ you. Like, demon stuff, but  _ unintentional _ . This is like talking to Sea Hawk, I  _ swear _ .”

Bow looked thoroughly lost, “Who, what now?”

Mermista stared at him, then at Catra, then rolled her eyes, “It’s a bit of a drive, then a long flight. Guess it’s Humanity 101 for you two. Oh. Joy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, the first MAJOR character no defined by the AU... so, we'll see if this is a major divergence. We'll see more of her and Frosta next, see what they're about... but they aren't MAJOR plot actors, just... features ;)
> 
> As ever, let me know if you think this works or your views. Not convinced, but it flowed and felt RIGHT in the moment.


	6. To hunt a demon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trouble in paradise? Learning to work with each other is HARD. Just got to get past preconceptions, maybe?

Catra didn’t zone out. She was  _ known _ for her intensity. Her diligence. Her rigorous, steadfast, near terrifying attentiveness.

But after twenty minutes her head was lolled back on the headrest of the car as she fixated on the inlaid cloth of the vehicle’s roof. Mermista had switched from berating and her initial attempts to, as she put it,  _ school them _ and was now involved in a shouting match into a small glowing… rectangle she held against her ear.

“Like,  _ I told you _ . Do not. Start. Filming. WITHOUT ME. We’ve had this conversation and  _ I am done… _ NO! I don’t care that your hits spiked…. That’s the  _ third BOAT in a month _ . No... _ No _ ….We will talk  _ later _ I have a… client meeting…. Uhhhh… yeah…..loveyoutoobye.”

Mermista did something and the light on the rectangle vanished. She slid the thing into her purse and made another sigh. Catra arched her eyebrow, then looked at Bow, “What was that?”

The former sea-Angel levelled a deadpan gaze at her, “ _ Business _ .”

“Business? Mermista, what do you even  _ do _ down here? I get we’re all new and clearly  _ inferior _ but all I was informed of was that you are… our liaison. First, where are we going?”

Mermista gave her a blank look then rolled her eyes, “Fresh off the boat and  _ attitude _ . Look, I get that you’re a Dominion…. Some investigator type, right?”

Catra blinked, “How do you  _ not _ know that?”

“More that I don’t  _ care _ ? It’s… stable down here, relatively speaking. And  _ every time _ one of you guys comes down things go  _ wrong _ . Fast. I can deal with  _ his _ sort,” she thumbed at Bow who looked a bit confused, “I mean, that just leads to more humans which is, like, mostly ok? Plus helps with ratings, I tell you. Buuuuut you  _ military _ types tend to, ugh…. Get  _ into things _ .”

Bow looked between them on the limo’s bench, then leaned forward. He could see Catra’s eyes narrowing, “Hey, hey, all on the  _ same side _ here, ok?”

Catra looked at him then drew a breath. What was  _ with _ her? Why was she so riled. Mermista watched her for a moment and shrugged, “Whatever. I was told you’re tracking  _ something _ but, honestly, if it’s what the harpists upstairs think it is, it’s clever.”

That comment caught Catra’s attention, “What do you mean?”

“THAT’S a question... “ Mermista frowned, then pointed at the screens, “So, we’ve not had much… non human fun for a  _ while _ . Most of the Earthbound just… we just get by. Demons stay local, focus on individuals. We haven’t  _ had _ a big one in, like, forever. They’re like you guys… go big or go home. No restraint. They get addicted to the sensations. It’s why we  _ have _ to brief you guys when you come down - it hits you  _ too _ .”

Catra blinked and cocked her head, “What? I’m  _ fine _ ,”

“Yeah, right. Look at you, all puffed up. News flash, Judge, this  _ ain’t _ Athens. Or Mesopotamia. There’s  _ Billions _ of humans.”

“I know that.”

“Yeah, but you don’t  _ know _ it. You’ve been in the Light for how long? Insulated. You’re light a huge beacon to these people. Overwhelming.”

“I KNOW THAT!” Catra flung her arms up, then crossed them in a huff, “I  _ have _ been down here before.”

“Yeah, when Herod was still having parties in the Levant. There’s a  _ lot _ more. A balance. The humans are  _ skittish _ . They may SEE an Angel, but some of these idiots will think you’re a Chinese nerve agent and BAM we get retaliations in, like, seventeen minutes. I’ve got people in Iran fixing that CRAZY stuff. And the  _ plane _ ?”

She fished her phone out again and flicked at it for a moment, then held it up. Catra blinked as a picture appeared. And then it began to  _ move _ . She stared at the tiny contraption - like one of their Scrolls but… different. The image was grainy, a wing seen through an oval window. A blurred, white shape, glowing in the night sky. It  _ waved _ at the camera, cat-like features appearing momentarily, before the figure whipped away in the backdraft of the plane. Catra opened her mouth and then huffed, “ _ And _ ?”

“I’ve had to get people scrubbing better quality copies off the internet. Got people making house calls to muddy memories. I have  _ seventy _ people in the Chorus here. And THIRTY FIVE of them are dealing with  _ your stuff _ . ALREADY.”

Catra shrugged, then glanced out of the tinted windows. The limo had pulled through a barrier and was now rolling over empty tarmac towards a large building. She recognised the strange, tube-like vehicles with wings and felt a strange sense of claustrophobia. She’d had it when Bow was driving their car - the sensation of progression without movement. Like slow apparition. It felt  _ off _ to her. She was transiting between places, but not under her own volition.

Bow watched the video again and chuckled, “Your  _ face _ Catra. LOOK! You can slow it down!”

She shot him a dirty look but his lopsided grin made her roll her eyes and forced a faint smile from her. Mermista tutted then cocked her head, “Huh…. that… that could be a  _ good _ angle…”

“Angel,” corrected Catra.

“No. Angle. Approach. I control the tides, y’know…. Of public opinion,” Mermista gave her a smirk, “Adapt, it’s what we’ve had to do. Hermes went off to run things upstairs, so I took his portfolio, juggled it about, y’know?”

“No, I don’t know.”

“Uh huh. I know you guys are like,  _ glacial _ up there, but I KNOW things move around. Choruses change, shift, amalgamate.”

“Yeah, well... “ grumbled Catra.

“Exactly. So. It’s easier to keep track of things now, with phones, and the internet. Harder to keep control… but, really, that’s not the point. So, maybe I  _ can _ use your stuff. Huh.”

Her whole demeanour changed and Catra stared as Mermista hefted the  _ telephone _ to her ear and began speaking. The Angel shifted between German, French and then Russian as she called various people, whilst the car rolled to a stop. She was still speaking as the car door opened and she stepped out. The Dverge, Frosta, eyed them both coolly, then glared at Catra. The Dominion was  _ perplexed _ . Did these people not know  _ rank _ ?

She paused in front of the smaller Angel and cocked her head, “Do we have a  _ problem _ ?”

The diminutive Angel smirked, “Whatcha gonna do?”

Catra leaned down and fixed her eyes onto Frosta’s, “You know  _ who _ I am?”

“Some person with an ego?”

The cat-like angel smiled slowly, “Catra. Bast. Astarte. Pick a name, get in line. I smacked down  _ Lightspinner _ this one time. So, be cocky, sass away. Personally, I think your cushy life is all fun and games. But I was at the  _ Fall _ . Spent the last few hundred years fighting  _ things _ that would give nightmares  _ nightmares _ . So, some spunky  _ elf _ doesn’t phase me. Ego? Fine, I’ve got one. But I’m hunting something that’s  _ bad news _ . And if I turn a city to salt to stop it ending the world  _ I will. _ I’m here because  _ Mara _ sent me. So, take it up with them if you have an issue. And don’t waste my  _ time _ . I need  _ help _ . Not whatever it is you’re trying to  _ prove _ .”

Her tail swished and Frosta stared back. Catra let some of her power leak through. The ground beneath her hissed as tarmac boiled under heavenly  _ heat _ and  _ weight _ . The smaller angel blinked first and swallowed. Catra nodded, then straightened. Bow waited until they’d walked a bit further towards the hangar before he blew out a breath, “Way to make  _ friends _ Catra.”

“Not here for that. We need to work together and this place is… sloppy. They’ve gone  _ native _ . That was borderline  _ rebellion _ Bow. They’re a hair's breath away from  _ Falling.  _ What could Lightspinner do with a Chorus of Archangels on Earth, with a network?”

“They’re Archangels? I can’t  _ tell.”  _ He looked faintly worried. Catra nodded.

“It’s the mudball. It’s making it harder to  _ see _ . And it’s making me  _ antsy _ .”

“Antsier.”

“Shut up.”

He shrugged but then nodded. They were approaching a sleek, winged  _ thing.  _ Catra frowned at it and watched as Mermista paused at a set of steps that unfolded from the vehicle’s side. She had finished her calls and glared at them both, “You coming?”

“Why do we… need this? We could just… fly.”

“ _ Because _ … ONE - less noticeable. And the humans will see  _ something _ . Like I said, minimise panic, ok? TWO - you two are burning up. Yeah, you’ve got a pipeline upstairs, like all of us, but you’re  _ beacons _ . That shows up on a  _ lot _ . And it has side effects around you. Note the fact you’ve ruined the floor here. Too much, you fry electronics and that is, like  _ annoying. _ I have budget concerns, y’know. I don’t want you knocking out a satellite by accident, y’know? THIRD - you need to be more  _ meat _ and that means you’re gonna have needs. Like comfort. Even a bit of food now and then. Makes you less noticeable AND causes  _ me _ less issues. FOURTH,” Catra was getting bored as Mermista was now using her fingers to list things, “I am not briefing you in the middle of a cloud when I could be drinking decent coffee and using a map. What, you gonna read a scroll  _ mid air _ ?”

Catra rolled her head back, “Fine, we’ll go in your stupid flying zeppelin.”

“Plane.”

“No, it’s clearly  _ here _ . Like, I know planes. They’re usually… weirder.”

Mermista made a disgusted noise, “It’s  _ called _ a plane.  _ Aero-plane _ ,” Catra and Bow shared a glance and shrugged. Silently they stepped forwards and followed Mermista up the stairs. The woman at the top stared at Catra, blinked once, then fainted. Bow winced, then looked at Mermista, who’s eyelid was twitching. She looked at Catra, who just returned her gaze, face impassive, “What did I  _ say _ ?”

Catra tilted her head, “I heard. But I’m getting a bit  _ annoyed _ at being talked at like a  _ Virtue _ on the first day after elevation.”

Mermista gritted her teeth and exhaled. Catra folded her arms then glanced at the giggling hostess on the floor, then back at Mermista. The Archangel sighed and spoke through clenched teeth, “ _ Please _ would you mind toning it down,  _ Dominion _ Catra?”

The cat-like Angel smiled beautifically. Her features shifted and she became a coffee-skinned, petite woman, with her frizzy brown hair done into a messy pony-tail. The light around her faded and she nodded, “See, talking to each other like we’re  _ peers _ . Better. Now, I’m all ears. I have a  _ lot _ to learn, clearly.”

Mermista closed her eyes and seemed to be counting to ten. She gave a false smile and gestured to the plane interior, “Right.”

Frosta trudged in behind them, her gaze averted from both Catra and Bow. The Cherub looked faintly pained and gave Catra a  _ look _ . The Dominion arched an eyebrow and he shifted to a  _ kicked puppy _ expression. That made her make a more disgusted noise. Mermista had settled into one of the plus leather chairs and fished out some sort of  _ larger _ flat rectangle. Frosta was in another chair, further down the plane and seemed to be engrossed in some sort of device that made loud explosion noises.

Catra pinched the bridge of her nose as she took her own seat. She heard the air hostess make a confused noise as she climbed off the floor. Catra watched the dazed human staggered into the compartment, blushing profusely. The human began to apologise and Catra held up a hand.

“So, uh… apologies are not  _ necessary. _ Think I must’ve… bumped you. Flashed you with my uh….”

“CAMERA!” Bow practically shouted the word. Catra stared at him, then looked at the confused human. The girl was staring at Catra’s head, as if trying to work out what was different. Catra just nodded, “Yes, um. Camera. First time on a  _ plane _ you see.”

The woman shifted to a practiced, professional smile, “Well, Ms Mermista has a treat for you. This is the best in her class, I can  _ assure _ you. And, well, no apologies necessary. We all get enthusiastic don’t we?” Then the woman  _ winked _ at Catra.

She blinked in return and Bow grinned widely.  _ Too wide _ . He was practically  _ bouncing _ . She shot him a look, then smiled politely back at the human, “Well, no hard feelings.”

The hostess smiled wider and folded her hands, “Well, as this is your  _ first _ time, let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.”

A disembodied voice came out of thin air and Catra stiffened, “ _ Ma’am? We’re cleared to taxi.” _

Mermista tapped a button on her chair, “Thanks Carlos…. Yeah, whenever,”

The hostess vanished forward to close the hatch and pull up the stairs, then took her own seat, out of sight behind the curtain. Catra coughed as Bow sniggered opposite her. Mermista gave Catra a  _ look _ .

“Just FYI… this is a  _ small _ plane. Noise carries.”

Catra held up her hands, “WOA WOA WOA,  _ WHAT _ ?”

Frosta’s petulant tone carried over, “She means have some consideration for the rest of us if you….”   
  
“OK!” exclaimed Bow, “I am sensing a lot of  _ tension _ here. Can we, uh… focus?”

The Dominion exhaled and nodded slowly. She laced her fingers in front of her then looked at Mermista and then over at Frosta, “Yes. Good idea,” Mermista arched an eyebrow. Catra winced and kept her smile forced, “Mission first.”

The Earth-bound Angel shrugged as the aircraft rumbled from the hangar, then returned to her laptop which, to Catra, seemed like a larger telephone. She leaned back in the chair and marvelled at the sensation of it. Again it felt  _ different _ from things in Heaven. Not more  _ real _ just… different.

The plane moved across the runways of the small airport, then began to pick up speed. Catra felt a sudden tightening in her meat-body and relished the new sensation. She had something similar when she flew, but this was different - now wind, no wings open. It was faintly disorienting. She saw Bow lean back in his chair, his face probably the same as her own, expression wise. She looked over at Mermista and saw the other Angel smirking at her. For the first time, Catra didn’t begrudge the other woman her amusement.

Her stomach shifted and there was a brief pull of gravity and then, suddenly, they were climbing. A few minutes later the voice came back, “ _ Uhhhh seatbelts not necessary now, ma’am. You can, uuuuuuh just move about the cabin.” _

It clicked away and Catra shook her head, “Ok… I’ll admit, this is… fascinating.”

Mermista gave a non committal noise and Catra unbuckled herself, then shifted to look at the other Angel. She blew out a breath and watched as Frosta shot a surreptitious glance their way. This felt  _ off _ . She didn’t run her Chorus this way. But these two  _ were _ acting weird.

No, not weird. Just… differently. She saw Bow giving her a  _ go on then _ look and rolled her eyes. And, if she was honest, Mermista had a point - being here was making her feel _something_. Vulnerable? Anticipation? It was making her more reactive, that was for sure. And she needed to get a handle on it, or else she would be a liability.

“Ok… we’ve… gotten off on the wrong wing here, haven’t we?” Mermista looked up from her laptop and pursed her lips, “I get it. This is  _ your _ house. We’re visiting.  _ But _ you’ve also been… rude. Confrontational. So, let’s… try our best. The sooner we solve  _ this _ the sooner Bow and I are  _ gone _ and you guys can… get back to normal. So…. truce?”

She spread her hands and Mermista sighed, “I  _ guess _ .”

Frosta slouched in her chair and shrugged. Catra groaned. Who ever heard of a  _ petulant _ Angel? “Are we going to have an  _ issue _ Frosta? Because if we are, I can  _ ask _ Mermista to have to reallocated….” she thought back and remembered Frosta’s initial  _ air _ . Remembered the attitude of the Dverge - grumpy, but.... suckers for a challenge. The whole damn Chorus, “Orrrrr… do you want to help me find a Demon and kick its ass?”

The younger Angel swivelled in her seat and frowned at Catra, “Excuse me?”

Catra met her gaze, “You heard me, pipsqueak. You want in on this? Or you happy being a driver and holding doors? Fine if you are, y'know, not _capable,_ ” she arched her eyebrow in challenge. Frosta took the bait.

“Screw that. You high and mighties will just mess it up. Aaaaand I need to throw down. We aren’t  _ friends _ though.”

“Wouldn’t dream, shortstuff. Mermista? Quicker we do this, quicker I’m gone.”

The other Angel glanced from her to Frosta, then back. And  _ smirked _ , “Huh. You aren’t as dumb as you look.”

“Goes both ways, sea-girl. So, we’re going to  _ America _ …” Catra pulled her wallet out, which unfolded into her satchel, then she hooked out a scroll. She unfurled it over the small table and then paused to arch an eyebrow at Mermista. The Archangel cocked her head then nodded.

“Yeah, it’s not tablet-level so it won’t blow out an engine.”

The scroll glowed and information bubbled into the air, practically fizzing in the Real. Catra studied it for a moment, “This is a chronological list of potentially connected incidents across the continent. I am keen to confirm if this  _ is _ a demon or… just some Mythics having a go.”

Frosta wrinkled her nose, then moved to a cabinet. She opened it and fished out anormal roll of paper, then gestured for Catra to move the Angelic scroll. She then proceeded to unfurl a map across the table, “This may help. You’ve got a load of stuff without context there.  _ Local _ knowledge is lacking. Like do you even know what  _ roads _ are? Currencies?  _ Corn dogs? _ ”

That was the thing about Angels - at their core, grudges weren’t a  _ thing _ . Grudges came from resentment, ambition,  _ hate _ . Not a thing they did. Frustration,  _ yes _ . Irritation, sure. They could even dislike one another, but it never went  _ deep _ . They had commonality and  _ purpose _ . Disagreements would be done in moments, for the greater good. All Catra had to do was understand the two Angels before her. And Catra could put aside minor niggling right now. She  _ had _ to. So, she nodded as Frosta pointed out the main hotspots.

“....so your  _ perp _ seems to be going along public access routes - train lines, looks like. Starts… East coast, causes a ruckus in New York, then moves south through the Rust belt. But  _ here _ …. Deviation.”

Catra looked at the map - a collection of squiggles and Borders. Borders within a nation? Very confusing. Humans seemed to find more and more ways to isolate, to carve themselves down. Difference, isolation, reduction. It was… unnerving to see it on such a grand scale. She pursed her lips, “Deviation? What do you mean?”

“Well, look… whatever you’re after, it was on a train, or following the lines when it got to the USA. A drifter. So, I don’t  _ think _ they have a goal.”

That was an interesting take. And lined up with the randomness they’d seen in Europe. What was also interesting was the scale of issues, now she really  _ looked _ at it, became more grounded, focused and  _ intense _ . Smaller acts of rebellion, violence and overflow. A towns’ workers burning a banker's car; gangland shootings; family feuds over  _ whose kid is it _ ? - there were spikes of bigger things - riots in one city; firebombings and shootings elsewhere, but it became spread out. More wild animal sightings; bar fights that got  _ massively _ out of hand.

They lined up the glowing text of the scroll against markers on the map, which Mermista then entered into her laptop. She seemed to be doing  _ something _ and she smirked at Catra’s confused stare.

“Modelling. Not just a pretty face, y’know? See if we can’t work out a route, or a destination. Or maybe predict the sort of activity we should be looking out for.”

Bow nodded, “Maybe we can see if it matches Virtues’ own model,” Mermista looked affronted and Bow smiled faintly, “To  _ help _ them. We didn’t spot this at all, remember?”

The former sea-goddess looked suitably mollified, so gave a little, “Well… neither did we. And, like, I guess, as we’re  _ here _ … that’s… on us.”

Catra shifted in her seat and managed a noncommittal shrug, “Whatever this is… it’s not what anyone was expecting. So, uh, Frosta. Back on topic? Deviation.”

“Oh, uh, yeah. So, trains… but then the pattern moves to the main interstates.”

Catra stared at her, “Which means…? I assume roads. Which I get. Roads.”

“They moved to  _ different _ transport. Or went by foot. And if we measure time differences… well, they’re not exactly taking weeks between  _ some _ of these incidents. Maybe you can… get more details? Work out their speed, narrow down your search area.”

Bow pursed his lips, then held up a hand, “OH! We can… maybe find out what  _ vehicle _ they’re using! And, uh…. Uh….  _ find _ it?”

Mermista snorted, “Regular Peralta, right there.”

“Uh,  _ thank you _ .”

“Not a compliment. Huh, deviation was...here,” mermista pointed at the screen of her laptop, then gestured at the map, where a red light materialised above the paper, “Some small dinky town. Small enough you might be able to find out what gives. We’ll redirect and land a few miles out, there’s an airfield… here. I’ll sort it. What are you gonna do when you get there?”

Catra sat back and chewed her lip, “Honestly? No idea. We know this demon, or whoever, has power. Sniff out any more curse traps, or influences. They leave traces, whoever they are.”

“Well, sure, like… that’s  _ something _ . Got my own guys sifting the older sites. They find something, I’ll know. And you’ll know,” Her laptop dinged and Mermista’s expression shifted to something so neutral it gave her away completely, “Uh, well, uh… like… I need to take this. Uh… business call.”

Catra watched her, then caught sight of a box of text that said  _ Seahawk _ . She also saw Frosta grinning almost maliciously. The Archangel stood and scurried to the back of the plane, laptop held like either something precious or something about to explode.

The Dverge Archangel chuckled, then froze, remembering who she was with. Catra pretended not to notice, but Bow frowned, “So… who’s Seahawk? One of you archangels?”

Frosta was taking a sip from a red can and practically spewed it over the leather upholstery, “WHAT? Seahawk? NOOOOOO. He’s a mortal…” she froze again, as if she’d overstepped.

But Bow just looked at her innocently, “Really? He works for you guys though, like, uh… the girl with the drinks on the plane? Who gave us the nibbles?”

“YYYYeah? Kind of? He’s uh… one of our streamers?”

That was a weird phrase, Catra leaned forwards, “A magic user?”

Frosta blinked, “ _ No _ . Well, not like that. He would say he _makes_ magic... but with more hand gestures. Honestly? He’s a  _ disaster _ . Buuut… well, Mermista can explain it more. We, uh… make money on media stuff. Music, videos…. Webcast stuff, games, reality TV. Let us, y’know, drop ideas into the wider human consciousness. Without violating the whole free will thing. Some demons tried it but most of them don’t have the patience and, well, since we kinda lost the grip on the Church since  _ you guys _ took a step back…”

Catra was about to say something but then sagged and nodded, “Yeah that… that’s still controversial. Do  _ not _ get Netossa started….”

Frosta blinked, surprised by the seeming common ground. She continued, slowly, “So… yeah. We don’t  _ push _ much, but it’s a good way to, y’know… take a view on things? But we’re not  _ huge _ . That’d get us noticed. And then it’d be awkward. Humans barely believe in science, no one’s  _ trying _ to take us down. No one without a tonne of tinfoil… but media can make it  _ difficult _ and we’d have to operate on a slower scale. I mean we get magi and warlocks but, really? Small stuff. We tackle that before you guys have to get involved, punch ‘em, send ‘em packing if they’re trying  _ nefarious _ things, And, y’know, keep the mythics from going extinct or trying to eat people. Media stuff helps, basically. Let us, y’know, pretend it’s all fake?”

“And this has  _ what _ to do with Seahawk?” drawled Catra. Frosta’s grin was nervous.

“Uhhh… he’s a streamer. Makes content.  _ Tries _ to make content. Usually it, uh… goes wrong. But Mermista um… well…. He brings in  _ loads _ of views. Usually because he sets fire to stuff.”

“And he’s mortal?” Catra spoke slowly, “And Mermista is involved in carnal relations with him?”

Bow nearly fell out of his chair whilst Frosta blinked rapidly, “That, uh… is.. Well, that’s  _ hardly _ …”

Catra snorted, “Trust me, I have seen  _ worse _ . You’re Dverge, I know what some of the Nordic assignments got up to. Nowhere  _ near _ as bad as the Mediterranean Choruses. But stil. Not… exactly…Normal?”

It was awkward but worth it to see Frosta’s blush. Bow decided to be the  _ good guy _ , “Hey, look. Love is love. Universal. This is just…. Weird. And… probably going to  _ hurt _ . Eventually.”

Catra was still stuck on details, “I mean, how’d that even  _ happen _ ? Wasn’t she shouting at him earlier?”

“They uh… do that. Can we, uh, talk about something else?  _ Anything _ else?”

The Dominion decided to show mercy, “Fine. So, explain to me… what’s an  _ internet _ ?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BEHOLD the field where I grow my fics.
> 
> Bestow upon me your feedback, thoughts and commentary.
> 
> Aware this is a bit of a "neutral" chapter. Using it to show Catra's CEO vibe and also her attempts at diplomacy. GROWTH! SEE!


	7. Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Catra adapts and learns. Another ally joins the hunt.
> 
> And dark things bubble to the surface.

The flight was strange, to say the least. Now they had their semi-truce, the simmering antagonism abated. Mermista returned from her  _ business call _ looking more relaxed, if a little embarrassed. Catra merely arched an eyebrow and suppressed a chuckle as Mermista went  _ completely  _ deadpan, but resisted the urge to tease further.

She left that to  _ Bow _ who merely leaned forward and said “SOooooOoOoO…. Seahawk? Streaming? That’s an… interesting job, right?”

Frosta had decided to shrink in her chair at that moment. Mermista had shot her  _ assistant _ Angel a glare, but then lasered it onto Bow instead, “Like, yes? Buuut he’s so  _ annoying _ and keeps  _ breaking _ things.”

Bow tapped his index fingers together, “So, that’s  _ not _ part of the job? Frosta showed us some of his stuff and…. He does a lot of screaming. And flailing. Is that… is that normal now?”

Mermista opened her mouth to speak then paused and winced, “Yeah. And also,  _ no _ . Some parts of humanity just… they latch onto things  _ really _ easily. It’s a lack of focus, a loss of community.  _ Local _ community… which can be  _ toxic _ . It’s a  _ struggle _ . Like,  _ exhausting _ . Seahawk… is a disaster, a  _ nightmare _ … but he’s also, like, relief, y’know? Always gotta have someone to laugh at, right? And he’s never  _ sad _ about it. Like a puppy. So, yeah, people eat it up.”

Bow pursed his lips and looked at the plane’s ceiling, “Aaaaaand how’s it going between you two?”

“Oh it’s.. .wait  _ what _ ? We are…. We’re not… that’s… how….” Mermista resumed her glare but was now flushed. Bow held up his hands placatingly.

“Hey! No judgement! NO BAD THOUGHTS! Just… seems like… I can tell there’s some  _ stuff _ you haven’t…”

Catra tuned it out. Bow was about to do his  _ counselling _ voice and she was not willing to listen to him lecture. She turned her attention back to the small screen of the  _ phone _ Mermista had given her as a….  _ Loaner? _ She pushed at the screen and grunted with frustration as several things happened. She tried to navigate through the various menus then gave up in disgust and fished out the Scroll given to her by Kyle.

She muttered a few words, then flexed her wrist and reached over her shoulder. A Feather appeared in her hand and she winced faintly, then began to write onto the scroll. A quick request on everything for the town they were about to arrive in. Well, not really a  _ town _ . More a...waystation. Some place called  _ Langston _ . She wanted a consolidated list of any and  _ all _ recent activity, not just that connected to the trail of the Demon.

Anything could be useful at this point. The type of lingering impacts, the influence on the town. They could then make their way to a more populous area. Maybe somewhere with a few thousand people. She’d not really  _ registered _ it out in Iran but she was noticing the humans were a lot more… sprawled. She’d seen it in Egypt, the way they clustered around the Nile; and in Rome, when they’d covered the hills in streets and taverns. But  _ now _ was a scale she couldn’t quite comprehend as yet. One thing to see it from a distance - quite another to be in the middle of it all.

She tapped the scroll as she finished her request and watched as the text fizzed away, like sand blown in the wind, then looked over to see Mermista staring at her, “What?”

“Uhhh… what’s  _ that?” _

Catra looked at the scroll and blinked.  _ Right, this was new. Ish _ , “Oh, uh… messaging back to the Archive.”

Mermista blinked, “Like...without a  _ circle _ ? Or Holy Ground? Or having to, y’know,  _ go back _ ?” she seemed dumbstruck, “Why… why don’t  _ we _ have those?!”

Ok, not dumbstruck, but annoyed. Catra paused and then shrugged, “Uh, it’s… new? Well, It is. A Virtue made it for me…”

“A Virtue?!” Mermista looked like her world had been twisted, “Uh,  _ HOW? _ Tablets take, like, a Seraphim, or a whole load of Archangels to do.. How’d a  _ Virtue _ ….?”

Catra suddenly felt oddly affronted on Kyle's behalf, “Hey, he works in the Archive. Spends a  _ lot _ of time there. And…. I think that has something to do with it. And since your  _ telephony system _ is near useless…. I ended it to get some information. It’s not… immediate, but it can give me something while he gets a few more details on the more  _ abstract _ things,” she cocked her head and relaxed slightly, “Look, I think I’m the only Angel with one buuuut… maybe if I can get some more made we could… share some here?”

Mermista went from resentful to suspicious and embarrassed in a hot second, “Uh… why?”

Catra looked out the window and shrugged again, “You said upstairs doesn’t… listen. And it’s difficult keeping up to date. Maybe… maybe something a bit faster would… help? Keep you guys connected, so you don’t go completely native…. Unless that’s your  _ thing _ of course?” she glanced sideways and allowed herself a small smile, a sharp incisor visible for a moment. Mermista looked away and offered a half shrug.

“Like… maybe,” she glanced back at the scroll, “Cool though. Been a generation since I saw a Tablet. And a Virtue… Woa.”

Catra returned her gaze out the window and found her eyes felt heavy. That was the meat body - it seemed to have a lot of subconscious actions going on at  _ all times _ . She’d tried keeping it minimal, but she needed some elements active to minimise her own energy output. She had felt a bit worried, suddenly, about short circuiting Mermista’s plane, for example. Th thrumm of the engine and Bow’s curious conversation the background was a pulsing rhythm and she felt her eyes flutter. It had been a while since she’d  _ basked _ in the Light, so maybe a spot of meditation…

_ The lake was vast and stretched out to the horizon. Under the surface, a massive form lay curled up, golden armour barely visible through the thick, murky ice that seemed to not just cover the surface, but make up the entirety of the lake. Above the ice floated a thing - a mockery of what it had once been. A Shadow of itself. The tattered crimson of its once glorious raiment now wrapped around it like a cloak. A mask adorned a face ruined by battle and twisted by Pride. _

_ Before it knelt a figure. Shadows danced around, obscuring all details, only the red of the floating Enemy truly visible. The being before the First Fallen stood and turned. Darkness clouded it, but the silhouette of great, black wings could be made out, nearly blending with the black of the central Lake of Hell. A crown of flame lit revealing a set of ibex-like horns. Before the shrouded figure, a line of flame seared into being - a great blade of infernal flame. Red eyes bored into her. Eyes that flashed a blue-grey. _

She came upright with a start and a sudden snort, eyes scanning around her. The plane jolted suddenly and Catra shook herself. She realised Mermista was leaning around, giving her an urgent  _ look _ . With a jolt, Catra realised her wings were out and she was in a very  _ cramped  _ position. With a wince, the wings vanished and she groaned, then rubbed at her temples, “Why do I feel… groggy? Is that a word? It sounds like a human word.”

Bow was looking at her, one eye twitching and an expression of faint horror on his face, “You were…. Making these weird  _ noises _ . Like… buzzing. Or… gravel and…”

Frosta popped up with a smirk, “You snore.  _ LOUDLY _ .”

Catra looked perplexed, “Snoring? But… don’t monkeys do that when they’re… voluntarily paralysed?”

“You mean  _ sleeping _ . Yeah. You sleep now. Or you will if you stick in meat for any length of time. Not as much, obvie… but yeah, you sleep.”  
  
Bow made a strangled noise, “We  _ do _ that now? EEEEEH it’s WEIRD.”

That drew a disgusted snort from Catra, “Knows all about love, doesn’t deal with night noises. Figures.”

“WHAT!? That was  _ not _ natural.”

Mermista peered at the Dominion, “You came out of that pretty sharp. Like, all ok?”

Catra shook her head, “I got… a vision? Saw stuff.”

“Dreams, maybe,” posited Mermista, “Humans get them, remember?”

“OF COURSE I remember, duh!” Catra felt irritable all over again. Too much sleep? Not enough? She needed to get the hang of this, “Main way we dropped messages in without the whole eye-popping risk. Not  _ reliable _ though… Humans forget things. Or write it down as… dream.”

That got a shrug, “So, what was it?”

“I saw… the Enemy. And some sort of Prince, I think. Big one. Bit on the nose, though. Crown, sword, all that?”

Mermista nodded slowly, “Subconscious fears, maybe. Anticipation.”  
  
That drew a wry grin from Catra, “A few hours and you know me  _ so well _ ?”

“Well, doesn’t take a twenty year shrink to know you want a fight. With anything. So, yeah, dreaming about the biggest badass in your head? Guess we’re lucky it wasn’t another kind of dream. I’d have had to get the air hostess.”

Catra glowered as Mermista flashed her a winning smile. Then the intercom crackled, “ _ Ma’am, coming in at Langston airfield. Tower confirms the driver’s on site as well.” _

“Thanks Carlos. We’ll just be down for refuelling then need to head back to New York. Can you get the flight plan filed while we’re there?”

_ “RRrrroger that ma’am, In the pipe, five by fiiiive.” _

Catra leaned back and managed to calm herself. The dream… yes the  _ dream _ had been vivid. She’d never  _ seen _ Hell, never visited the Lake. But Shadow Weaver…. Lightspinner as she’d been… she  _ knew _ her. Beautiful. Strong. A  _ mentor _ to so many. But that mentorship had been nothing but slow, beguiling temptation. 

Had she sent someone topside? Was that what they were up against? But if it had been a  _ thing _ like in her dream, then why weren’t they dealing with half a continent underwater, or mass plagues, or a full on  _ incursion _ ? She couldn’t see something that oozed that much raw menace being….  _ Subtle _ .

She felt the plane lurch as they began to descend. Bow was still giving her wary glances and she rolled her eyes, “It’s not a major deal. Or are you scared of me  _ breathing _ you big… baby. Do we need to get the loincloth again?”

Frosta popped up and eyed Bow, “Loincloth? Ooo! Got pictures? I bet you looked  _ cute _ .”

Bow flustered and folded his arms, “I’m not cute. That’s  _ her _ .”

“Shut up,” Mermista was back on her laptop, frowning at something. Or just frowning. It was hard to tell. So Catra looked at Frosta, “You’re coming with us?”

The small Angel nodded, “Well, you said I  _ should _ … and since you’re the big badass, I guess…”

“So… who’s the driver Mermista mentioned?”

“Local employee or contractor. Some are clued in, some not. We keep things on the  _ down lowwwwww _ . But some are practitioners. They’re… useful. And can deal with most minor stuff without us having to go full Wings Out, y’know? Anything more serious gets passed up the chain, of course. We do have  _ protocols _ .”

Catra cocked her head and shrugged, “Except for visitors.”

“UGH! Are you  _ still _ on that?”

That got Frosta a lopsided grin from the Dominion, “As long as you keep taking the bait,  _ yes _ . I know the Norse were a bit… free with the fist, but wow, you…”

“HEY, they… were my people. It’s different now… so, gotta keep some of that whole  _ thing _ going. Somehow.”

Catra saw the faint twitch in the younger Angel’s eye and leaned back in her seat, “Tell me about them.”

Frosta blinked and looked at her with faint suspicion. Then she smiled and nodded.

Catra listened as the plane descended as Frosta described a particularly raucous time in a mead-hall in Norway, some point in the 800’s. It took Catra back - simpler times. Smaller communities. When they could just… wander, a bit  _ freer _ . She chuckled as Frosta described a misunderstanding between two of the men over which horn was theirs… before a young warrior woman of the clan had just knocked them both out and taken their drinks. The young angel sat back, “Not  _ quite _ the same these days…. But… those were good times.”

Catra nodded, “I know, young one. I know. Things change… so fast. Even up there, it’s… getting harder,” she smiled and shrugged, “but we do what we can. And looks like you’ve… gotten yourself a good role?”

Frosta gave a non committal shrug and glanced at Mermista, “She looks after us. We don’t fit in up there… but we aren’t  _ Falling _ , that’s for sure. Just… this works for now, y’know?”

They lapsed into silence, then jolted as the plane touched down.Catra realised Bow was watching her with a faint smile and he gave her a surreptitious thumbs up when she glanced his way. She managed to avoid any reaction, but couldn’t quite suppress the faint smile. The two Earth Angels were… different. But maybe,  _ maybe _ not terrible.

The air hostess came back in and fussed about, then leaned over to pluck something from Catra’s table. The Dominion stiffened as the woman invaded her space, seemingly unintentionally. Until the woman’s arm brushed against hers and she saw a scrap of paper flutter into her lap. She looked up and saw the woman  _ wink _ again, then make a strange mime with her thumb and pinky finger next to her ear.

Then she was gone and Bow was biting his lip  _ so hard _ . Mermista was very studiously looking at her laptop and failing at not grinning. Frosta was just laughing. Catra looked at the paper and frowned, “Numbers…. What do I do with a list of numbers? Are they…. Latitude? Longitude? That’s a thing, right?”

Frosta sniggered, “You call them….”

“I don’t see how shouting numbers accomplishes  _ anything _ ?”

The diminutive angel rolled her eyes then climbed out of her seat and held her hand out, “Phone.”

Catra frowned, then fished the item out. She tapped in the numbers, then showed Catra, “See. Number. Entered. Then you press this and TA DA. Instant booty call.”

“Again, calling a… booty? What would I do with, booty… isn’t that treasure?”

Mermista choked. Bow cocked his head as he ran the phrase through his head. Frosta swallowed a laugh, “Treasure, huh? I mean… you just met her?”

Catra blinked, “Wait… this will… let me call  _ her _ ? To her own telephony device, right?”

The diverge angel shrugged, “Yeah. You know. For, like, chatting. Chess. Some  _ raucous and nasty….” _

Bow reached over and clamped a hand over the diminutive angel’s mouth, “Ok, think we don’t need a  _ flustered _ Dominion right now. Blowing up a plane orrrr overreacting. But thank you for the input Frosta! HELPFUL,” but he was grinning as he spoke. Mermista waved them all out.

“Fun as this is, I need to be back in New York. You need me… Frosta can call. We’ll let you know if, like, anything  _ weird _ happens. Just…  _ please _ don’t do, like… stupid things?”

Catra regarded the other Angel and shrugged, “No promises but… we will not start a war if we can help it. But if this thing is… big, well….”

Mermista made a disgusted noise then slumped, “ _ Fine _ . Guess that’s as good as I’ll get. Just, like, remember. PROPORTIONALISM. Ok? Keep the wings in if you can help it. I don’t want to be, like, knee deep in tinfoil hats by Christmas.”

“Ok, we’ll.. Try to avoid whatever that means then,” Catra gave her a smile thn exited the plane, trying to avoid blushing as the air hostess winked  _ again _ . Bow looked on the verge of making a noise that was probably  _ squee _ . Frosta just looked grumpy again, but then again her focus was on their surroundings rather than the company.

Catra inhaled deeply and revelled in the clear air - a marked change to the filtered feeling of the plane. The airfield itself was unimpressive - a single hanger, a ramshackle trailer with a raised tower that was clearly something temporary that’d been  _ made _ permanent by necessity. A few smaller planes, a good third this size of theirs. In the background, Catra could make out forests and distant hills. The word that hit her was  _ rural _ .

She locked her gaze onto a modern looking car that stood off to one side. A figure in a black suit leaned back against it, arms folded. Frosta clocked the figure and grinned, then jogged forward. The figure stood straighter and Catra saw it was a woman. Chocolate skin and hair pulled back into dreadlocks. She radiated a firm authority.

But she was  _ clearly _ mortal. Catra exchanged a glance with Bow, then marched forwards. The woman was speaking animatedly with Frosta then cocked her head at the pair of Angels, “So, uh… these the  _ out of towners _ ?”

Frosta shrugged, “Yeah. They’re… cool. Takes a bit, but yeah.”

Catra arched an eyebrow at the smaller Angel, then smiled. She looked down as the woman extended a hand. Catra frowned then smiled broadly and gripped the hand in her own. She shook and the woman practically vibrated, her eyes going wide with surprise. Catra relinquished the hand and Bow extended his own, which caused a mild look of panic to cross the woman’s features. He smiled reassuringly, “I’ve done it before, don’t worry.”

The woman let him shake her hand, which he did firmly, but gently. Catra watched and nodded slowly, then looked back at the girl, “Catra and Bow. We’re from… uh….”

“Head office,” supplied Bow with a smile. The woman gave them a wry grin.

“You can say Heaven, y’know. Just, maybe not in the street? Name’s Lonnie. Lonnie Laveau. Work with Mermista as… a fixer.”

Catra peered at her and nodded, “A seer then?”

The girl shrugged, “A fixer. I’ve got a few… talents that these guys find useful. But today I’m your local guide and general oracle. I look after the states around here with my Sisters. Kep the mythics happy, the rest of us humans quietly in the dark.”

The Heaven-angels nodded slowly, “Interesting. Good to see some of the old ways are still going strong,” smiled Bow. Lonnie gave a wry smile.

“Someone’s gotta. Otherwise we get all those evangelicals doing their thing and it’s straight down the creek without a paddle. Understand from what Mer said, there’s a trail you’re following?”

She turned and opened the car door for the pair of angels, who slid awkwardly into the back seats. Frosta climbed in the front. Catra looked around the interior, not entirely sure how she felt to be in her third vehicle in two days.

“Yes. But we aren’t  _ certain _ . It doesn’t fit our expected patterns. Perhaps you can shed some light as this is your…. Jurisdiction?”

“Well now, polite?”

Frosta snorted, “Yeah don’t push her. She gets  _ mean _ .”

Lonnie chuckled, then her face went more serious, “We’ve had small incidents. Depends  _ when _ . My mom used to tackle this part of the state ‘til a few years back. Depends when it happened and what it was. Animal attack? Haunting? Some idiots who found a book that they really shouldn’t have? We’ve had a few of this things across the state. Mostly Mythics getting bored. One Imp, but we dealt with it.”

Frosta huffed, “ _ WHO _ dealt with it?” Lonnie rolled her eyes but gave her a grudging nod.

Catra felt her pocket grow warm briefly and fished out the Tablet-Scroll. She unfurled it and frowned, “Well… it seems the town has a number of options… but let’s go with the brutal murder from twelve years ago.”

\-------------

The town was…… unimpressive. Run down was also a term that could be used. Lonnie rattled off some of the town’s history as she drove - paper mill town, fairly successful. On a major thoroughfare, fairly scenic, got a steady stream of tourists. Then mill got closed thirteen years prior, which resulted in a small slow decline, then a rise in petty crime crime, then the  _ murder _ . She’d been aware of it, but it’d been, by most standards, normal human criminal activity. It had been  _ brutal _ but definitely done by a human.

Or so it seemed.

Catra wasn’t convinced. There’s been a few animal sightings which Lonnie said  _ could _ be down to the local tribe of trolls - apparently their ancestors had come over with some Nordic settlers and decided the woods were perfect.

“Yeah and they make the  _ best _ mead,” gushed Frosta, “Seriously, while we’re here, we should totally try it.”

Lonnie chuckled, “I remember mom checked it out at the time, just to make sure it wasn’t one of them. The mill got closed, but the purchasers wanted to use the site as a distribution centre so they could increase logging around here. So we thought maybe the trolls tried something. But nope. Not them. They tend to rip arms off, not… butcher like that.”

Catra watched out the window as boarded up shops and half empty restaurants drifted by. The town had one street of note, the rest being mainly housing. She frowned and then leaned forward, “Stop the car….”

Lonnie peered into the rear view, but pulled the black town-car into a space, “You sensing something?”

Catra opened the door and stepped out. She looked up and down the street. Bow emerged behind her and looked at her, “You ok Catra?”

“It’s… weird. It’s like there  _ is _ something here. It’s… it’s the same as back in that fuel dump. I think it’s the same thing that did that. We’re on the right track,” she looked back into the car, “Gonna look around for a bit. You coming?”

The Seer blinked and then smiled, a slow smirk, “Do bears shit in the woods? Miss a chance to see a… a  _ Dominion _ do her thing? Heck yeah”

Frosta clambered out and the quartet set off across the road. Catra wasn’t sure what she was following, but her footsteps led her towards a bar. It looked  _ sleazy _ . It oozed it. Bow shivered, “You getting that?”

Catra nodded, “Something  _ intense _ happened here… A while back, but you can  _ feel _ it,” she looked at Lonnie who was chewing her lip. The young Seer stepped forwards and squatted in front of the bar, then pressed her palm against the paving. She frowned.

“Nothing like a summoning, but, yeah… something  _ dragged out _ a lot of negative energy here. It’s spoiled the whole environment. No one’s coming out of that place  _ happy _ .”

Catra nodded, “Let’s… leave it for now. This way,” she led the group down the street, then along a side-road. They arrived at the chain link fence that ringed the abandoned mill. Half of the building was gone, dismantled. Catra cocked her head, “Something here too.”

She crouched, then jumped, clearing the fence in a single bound. She heard a thud as Bow followed, then a yelp. She turned and saw Frosta land, Lonnie held bridal style in her arms. The seer looked shocked, “Warn a girl, Frosta! JEEZ!”

The trio headed across the open parking lot towards the main building. Catra winced as they stepped into the lobby, after snapping the padlock across the door with a flick of her finger. The interior was dusty. Lonnie was frowning again, “This is… weird. Prime real estate. Even in a small town like this,  _ someone _ should’ve bought this up.”

Catra moved through the lobby, past the stairs that led up to the offices, into the mill itself. Most of the machinery was gone, those bits left just rusted through. She stiffened as she looked around, “Did… the murder happen  _ here _ ?”

Lonnie checked her phone, then scrolled through some pages, “No…. guy was killed in his apartment, centre of town. No witnesses, but that’s because prosecutors thought the town was covering it up…”

“Why?”

“Victim was the son of the Mill’s new owner. In town to oversee the purchase. Had been in town a while… not popular it seems.”

“So… why’d you guys get involved, beside the troll thing?”

“No witnesses, the level of brutality, the whole… mystery. But seems like a case of someone doing him in because, well… their jobs’d all gone. Or several someones. Wounds seemed.. .consistent with multiple assailants, according to the police report.”

“And you didn’t notice the bar thing, first time?”

Lonnie’s mouth twisted and she shook her head, “Mom… never mentioned it.”

Catra nodded slowly as she walked around the Mill floor. She studied a large hatch in the floor, “That looks  _ newer _ doesn’t it?”

Bow cocked his head, “There’s a  _ really _ bad vibe under it.”

Lonnie stepped back, “Is it here?” her voice was a hiss - not afraid, but certainly tense. Catra shook her head.

“No… but something bad happened here. A while back. But like the bar it’s… stained things.”

She shifted, her mortal form shimmering away as she stepped forward. Lonnie blinked and her jaw dropped as Catra’s full features came into view. The Dominion’s tail swished and she bent down, then hauled the hatch open. It revealed a set of plywood steps, damp and rotten with age, into a hastily dug out space beneath the mill’s floor. Catra stepped down and felt the air curdle with old fear and a strange sense of otherworldly  _ rage _ . Something had been very angry here.  _ Very _ .

It was so palpable it was burned into the very stone. She traced her finger along the wall and winced. The walls looked like candle wax, as if a great heat had blasted through. She followed the tunnel down and stopped as it widened into a broader chamber. She stared at the walls and heard Bow gasp next to her.

Chains, rusted with age, lined the walls. A good dozen pairs. The air had the smell of old sweat and the dankness of uncleanliness. Frosta swallowed and shivered next to Catra. The Dominion glanced at Lonnie.

“What  _ happened _ here?”


	8. Curioser and Curioser

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The plot thickens as the gang investigate a murder scene. Frosta reveals a bit about her past and glories and Catra has an IDEA.
> 
> What secrets does the town hold. What did the demon do?
> 
> And what does coffee do to an Angel?
> 
> \---
> 
> Be aware, allusions to violent acts and murder.

The room was little more than a carved out space,the concrete of the mill floor above them supported by wooden beams. A single bulb ung from a wire above, long since shattered. Catra paced the perimeter of the room and traced her claws along the wall. It was earth and rock, with pillars of cement set at intervals. Into these pillars were driven the bolts that held the restraints in place.

Catra slowly shifted, her feline features more prominent now and she heard Lonnie whistle in surprise. She ignored it as she squatted next to one of of the concrete pillars. The chains were short - a person could stand with their arms by their sides, or kneel with their hands held up at head level. She traced down the length of the chains and peered at the manacles.

They were partly melted, pulled apart at the joint. She frowned, then moved to the next pillar. The chains were missing, along with a chunk of concrete at the point where the bolts would have held them.

“Catra, over here.”

She turned and saw Bow peering at the wall. She walked over and peered at the earth. It had been  _ baked _ . Clay and soil was now rock hard and glass smooth. And, she realised, it held an outline. A profile, human in shape. They appeared to have been half crouched, judging by the strange outline.

Lonnie was peering around and shivered, “Something  _ bad _ happened here. Evil.”

Catra nodded, “Yeah. For who though?”

A growl came from Frosta as she stalked around the room. She ground her teeth and looked at Catra, “Demon sacrifice? Chained up people, let them just… do whatever?”

The Dominion looked around the room and frowned, “Maybe. Wonder if this has anything to do with the murder….”

They searched the room for a while longer but beyond the unsettling air it was devoid of clues. The group emerged back into the light of day, which filtered through the mill’s grubby windows and drew in breaths that, whilst not fresh, were clearer than in the pit.

Lonnie was frowning, “It’s… weird. Mom never mentioned this. And she was  _ diligent _ . She wouldn’t have  _ missed _ this. And it’s… weird.”

Catra cocked her head, then folded her arms, “Explain,”

The Seer looked a little intimidated by Catra’s sudden focus, “Um, well, uh… there’s… no  _ accessories _ .”

Bow tapped his chin and frowned, “Uhh… you mean...spells? Anchors? Fetishes and the like?”

Catra shot him a look, “Oh, you’re up to date on the esoteric mysteries of dragging a demon to the real are you?”

He shrugged, “Hey, gotta read something in my down time.”

“Well, he’s right. There’s no runes. No items of power,” Lonnie ran a hand through her dreadlocks, “Not even  _ ash _ . Like you’d find if they were used up.”

“Could’ve just been the humans that were being kept there,” mused Catra, but she didn’t feel certain. Lonnie shook her head.

“Don’t want to counter, like, two Dominions on this but… it’s different for humans, summoning I mean. We need more than just a body. You need focusing  _ items _ . Anchors, like Bow said…”

Bow nodded, “Yeah, that’s what I read. Oh, and uh, don’t worry - I’m happy to learn. Not a Dominion and all.”

The Seer cocked her head, “Oh, ok. Uh, that’s… interesting. One of the Powers? Thought you were some sort of dynamic crime fighting duo or something. Mulder and Scully from up on high.”

Frosta blinked and grinned, “OH! I got that reference! YES! Suck it Seahawk, old TV is  _ not _ a waste of time.”

Bow snorted, “Naw. Cherub. Nice to be doing work down here again.”

There was a moment of silence as Lonnie opened her mouth. She closed it, frowned, looked at Catra, then back at Bow, “A  _ Cherub _ ? What are you gonna do? Make the demon fall in lo-”

Catra cackled and doubled over, “THAT’S WHAT I SAID! Haaaa. I like her.”

Bow frowned and crossed his arms, “If we’re quite done? Or do I need to make the friendly witch decide she has a deep yearning for  _ spinach _ cookies?”

Lonnie held her up hands with a smirk, “A’aight bro, just messing. Not what I was expecting is all…. But I kinda  _ like _ spinach.”

The Cherub shrugged, “Best I could come up with. Give me time and a scroll and I’ll… yeah nah, not got the heart for it.”

Catra patted his shoulder and smirked at Lonnie, “He’s my  _ people person _ . I’m the one who’ll deal with the problem when it turns up.”

“‘S fair. So, back on point… this is just weird. Like there’s no warding circles, no salt, though that could've been blown away. Big ass demon, you etch metal with sigils so they can’t just casually burn ‘em.”

“Maybe… .maybe this wasn’t anything to do with our demon?” mused Bow. Catra pointed at the open hatch.

“Show me a  _ mortal _ that can immolate someone into a wall and stains the air with that much raw hate.”

That got a sigh from Lonnie, “She’s right.  _ Some  _ practitioners could come close, but it’d damn near kill them, especially these days. But, yeah… maybe Bow’s right. Coincidence.”

Catra stared at the hatch and something niggled at the back of her mind. Demons  _ did _ bad things. But they were  _ complicated _ in their motivations and, like it or loathe it, certain collectives, certain groups had something that could be called  _ honour _ . Mainly about how they were summoned, or whether a mortal tried to command them.

Maybe this had been a summoning and the mortals had bungled it. In which case was it a different demon? Another one loose on the world? Or had they snared  _ their _ demon in passing? And pissed it off?

Or was this just some other anomaly they needed to cross off the list as a false lead?

She rubbed the bridge of her nose and sighed, “Ok, let’s… let’s regroup out of here, think about this. I want to see the murder scene as well.”

They filed out and back across the parking lot to the fence. The street beyond was deserted and they vaulted the barrier with ease. Lonnie led them back to the car and paused to glance back across the road at the bar they’d paused outside of, “We don’t want to look in there?”

Catra shook her head, “Not yet. Need to see what it’s like with more people in it. More to observe.”

That got a screwed face from Lonnie, “Sounds… a bit heartless. Using people.”

The Dominion met her gaze steadily, “It’s how demon influence works. And angelic. And, the bar has been in operation for a good decade. The town is still intact - the influence is likely residual,” she shrugged, “Our objective is bigger than a dot on one of your maps, Seer.”

Lonnie’s expression was complicated and Frosta nudged her, “Told you, she can be  _ mean _ .”

Catra glanced at the Dverge and shrugged, “I have a job to do. And doing it  _ right _ means we save more people. Doing it  _ wrong _ leads to a Gomorrah situation. And Mermista asked I not turn anything to salt, sooooo.”

The Seer blinked in shock, “You can  _ do _ that?”

The Dominion shrugged, “I can do a lot of things,” This made Lonnie focus on Bow.

“I see why she needs you around now,” The quartet settled into the car and Lonnie clambered into the driver's seat. They headed off, further into the town, which didn’t take long. Beyond the windows, Catra noticed that several pedestrians were staring at their car. Considering the other vehicles in town, theirs did seem to be a slightly  _ shinier _ variant. But to her eyes, all the vehicles appeared the same - four wheels and a similar design. Some were slightly taller, some had flat beds to their rears. Overall, maybe they were just conscious of its newness and envious?

Humans were weird.

Lonnie parked up next to a four storey building - a squat apartment complex. It appeared fairly dilapidated and the windows on the ground floor were boarded up. Catra shrugged as she looked for the main entrance, her human guise back in place. Frosta scuffed her foot against the curb, her clothing now a blue long-coat, to match the chill in the air.

Bow leaned on the hood of the car and stared up at the building, “Now, i get that I’m a few centuries out of date for  _ regular _ visits, but I’ve seen rich people. Seen where they live. This guy was… a what, minor noble, or equivalent, right?”

Lonnie chuckled and folded her arms. She peered up at the building, then spied the heavy double doors that led into the building. The place had once been a storehouse, but converted to residential at some stage, “I mean… this was clearly a nice development  _ once _ ? Guess murder does a number on resell value… Now,... oh the door’s locked. We’ll probably have to get the…” Catra slapped the heavy, double doors with a palm. They crashed open and she stepped through. Lonnie frowned, then splayed her hands and shrugged, “Or we can do that. I guess.”

The lobby was like the mill - dusty, abandoned and hadn’t seen any form of regular human interaction in a while. It was a  _ dead _ place. Bow peered around and shivered, “It feel cold here too?”

Frosta nodded and looked around, “Reminds me of the Somme….” That got a nod from Bow and Lonnie. Catra peered back and arched her eyebrow, “Big fight, over in France, over a hundred years ago… left the place so scarred birds didn’t go back. This… it’s like that on a smaller scale.”

Catra cocked her head and sniffed the air, “Not even… mice. Something  _ really _ nasty happened here.”

Lonnie walked over to the lobby reception counter and peered over it. She winced, “Bloodstains… not even  _ cleaned _ . Old… and look.”

A computer monitor lay, smashed, at the corner of the  _ very _ large spot of brown behind the counter. Frosta moved to the elevator - the doors were open but the actual cart wasn’t present. and shook her head, “More blood here. In the shaft….”

Bow looked queasy and Catra gave her a reassuring squeeze, “You ok?”

“It’s… my whole thing is, y’know, bonds. Love. Making  _ nice _ ? This… it’s like the whole other end of the spectrum. I feel so… wrong here.”

“You can wait outsi-”

“No. NO! I said I was gonna help you. And if I’ve gotta take ona demon, I need to get used to all... “ he waved a hand at the air, “ _ THIS. _ I’m gonna be no good if I get all flippy floppy because it looked at me  _ weird.” _

Catra smiled, “Look at you, all big and tough. Mara’d be  _ so proud _ .”

“Shut up.”

She smirked, shrugged, then headed for the stairs. The feeling of  _ icy dread _ that permeated the air got stronger as they went up. The other apartments were empty, devoid of furnishings or anything else - it seemed that the place hadn’t even been properly opened up before the murder.

They stopped on the third floor, where a door led to the penthouse. Which was a grand title for something only four floors up.Catra paused and let her hand hovered above the door handle. The air felt thick and there was a flicker of something - an echo. She took a breath and opened the door.

It creaked open and Frosta snorted, “Seriously? Do demons just  _ leave _ a sense of drama when they go places?”

Lonnie shot her a look and peered around Catra, “Any… surprises?”

The Dominion shook her head, “No… traps. Can’t sense any lingering influence, beyond the normal.. Well, the residual after effects.”

Beyond the door was a small, second lobby. A shattered side table sat within, legs smashed. Old papers still strewn about the floor, whilst the door of the built in closet next to the entrance hung off of one hinge. Police tape hung all over, shredded and rotten. At the end of the lobby another set of stairs went up to the apartment proper.

They moved through carefully and Catra saw Bow wince as the pressure became almost palpable. Frosta seemed to be shaking and Lonnie had paled faintly. Catra clenched her fists and moved up ahead of them. She shed her disguise and let her own power flow out. Behind her, her companions seemed to relax as the aura of Heaven’s warmth engulfed them. Bow shot her a grateful smile.

The apartment was an open plan design, for the most part, with a high ceiling.. The stairs led up into a corner of the big living space, whilst large arch windows gave a rather disappointing view of the town. One framed the distant Mill almost perfectly. A wall ran along one side, with a corridor entrance down the middle - bed and bathrooms clearly.

But what was most obvious was the  _ carnage _ .

Furniture was not just  _ smashed _ . It was obliterated. Chunks of designer furniture lay strewn about. A shattered couch which looked like it had been torn apart by many hands. The smashed remnants of a glass coffee table.

The kitchen nearby was equally ruined - fitted units strewn across the counter, the oven and microwave torn from their fittings, their wires yanked out like intestines to trail across the floor.

And everywhere,  _ everywhere _ were dark stains. An old, copper smell hung in the air.

Catra frowned, “Was… was it just  _ one _ guy who was killed?”

Lonnie blinked, “Uh… I… I don’t know. The man, Laurence… he was the death reported. But then again, from what I know and the online stuff, this was…. Fairly open and shut. Like they wanted it  _ done _ .”

Bow moved to a stain on the floor and shook his head, “No one man has  _ this _ much blood in him.”

Frosta made her way around the periphery of the room and shook her head, “Window’s smashed here…. Think someone went through it.”

The group surveyed the wreckage then Lonnie pointed at the walls. Catra followed her finger. She saw rope. It trailed down from hasty knots around hammered-in hooks. There were more in the other walls. The coils trailed to the centre of the room, but seemed to have been cut. At their centre was the largest brown-red smudge.

Bow looked sick. Lonnie shook her head as she glanced between the ropes, the smashed furniture and then the corridor. Catra shook her head at them, then moved towards the bedrooms.

The hallway felt  _ dark _ . Oppressive. She pushed the door open to the first bedroom. It was sparsely decorated, or had been. A few brown smudges on the floor indicated  _ something _ had happened here. She frowned at holes in the wall and approached them. She inserted her claw and dug out a lead disc -a bullet. The pebbledash of faded blood around the hole told her what she needed to know.  She left and checked the sumptuous bath room. The tiles were cracked and the edge of the ceramic bath was shattered. Catra shook her head at the red stains and  _ fragments _ of definitely-NOT-ceramic in there.

The master bedroom was… interesting. The furniture was mostly intact. The bed, too. It was huge,made of black wood. The covers were gone, the mattress too.

The heavy chains were  _ not, _ however. 

There was only a small bloodstain in here. But the room  _ felt _ violent.  She felt Lonnie step in behind her and frown at the room, “This place is just a whole  _ heap _ of nasty. Frosta thinks that it was a whole home invasion… big ol’ brawl. But… we can’t see any trace of the demon.”

Catra shook her head and held up the lead pellet, “It was humans, definitely. But… this was  _ brutal _ whatever they did. This was…. Almost  _ carnal _ .”

Lonnie studied the bullet, then looked around the room and swallowed at the restraints, “That’d don’t  _ look _ good. I mean, there’s… stuff and then there’s  _ that _ .”

The Dominion nodded, “Perhaps there was a deeper reason for the town’s resentment of this Laurence….”

She turned and made to exit the room, but paused as her foot crunched on something. She moved her foot and saw cracked glass within a frame, then bent down and picked up the picture - it showed a man leaning against a very shiny black motorcycle. He had a stylish leather jacket and seemed  _ smug _ just from the picture. Catra fished the photograph from the frame and showed it to Lonnie.

“This Laurence?”

She peered at the picture and nodded, “Yeah. Looks slick. Nice bike, too.”

Catra slipped the photograph into her pocket. Always useful to have a  _ reference _ . And it was a personal item from the  _ scene _ . Useful, if they needed a focus, later. She left the room, Lonnie trailing behind her. Bow was hunched over, hands on knees as he breathed in and out steadily. Frosta was pacing in the living room and shot Catra a look, “How does this…  _ help _ ? I mean, this is years OLD. You’ve got that list of activity, why are we stuck in this… pit of despair? Why don’t you just go to the nearest…”

Catra held a hand up and shook her head, “Not here. Outside. Now.”

Frosta looked like she was going to argue, seemed on the verge of pushing her fist through solid concrete. But she clenched her jaw and nodded stiffly.

They left far faster than they’d entered. Outside, everyone seemed to sag and Lonnie seemed to almost stumble. She braced against the car and then gave a reassuring smile at Catra’s concerned frown, “Hey now, don’t start acting like you care.”

Catra shrugged, “Can’t be losing a Seer on day three of the job. That’d be reckless.”

“Oh, she does have a sense of humour.”

That got a toothy grin from Catra, “Who said I was joking? We get performance reviews…”

“You make heaven sound unappealing,” Lonnie shook her head then stared up at the fourth floor windows, “I’ve seen some stuff, communed with spirits. But I’ve… never felt anything like that. I mean, you get  _ hauntings _ that are strong and draining but that….”

The group exchanged glances and Catra closed her eyes, “That was…. The result of a demon’s influence. Over a  _ lot _ of people. Really…  _ REALLY _ strong. A compulsion, I think. And then… our demon just let them loose in there to do… whatever.”

Bow shook his head, “But the  _ vibrations _ in there.”

“Psychic echo. So strong, enhanced by the demon's influence. And that place had a lot of nastiness underlying it already. It’s  _ strong _ … look at you three. Bow, this isn’t your strong suit - not an insult, just a fact. It’s hitting you hard. Frosta, you’re an Archangel, yes… but this thing has power beyond you. It’s warped  _ you _ . Look at you.”

The small angel glanced down and blinked - her fists were encased in thick blocks of jagged ice. She swallowed and shook her head, “What….?”

“Some demons have such powerful auras they can… really do a number on even angels. Why’d you think the war went on so long? If they couldn’t hurt us it’d have been done in a nanosecond. And Lonnie… an untrained human would’ve gone violent in there. Or broken down in tears.”

The Seer hugged herself, “Damn close, Catra. Damn close,” the Dominion nodded, sympathetically, then looked at the car.

“Let’s… recoup. rest . Then we can see the bar. Maybe it has the link.”

Bow shook his head, “Mill owner murdered, creepy prison room in the Mill? Think he found out about the place and the townsfolk did him in?”

Catra looked back up at the apartment, “Maybe. Anyway, in the car, let’s rest.”

Lonnie blinked, “You want to rest. In the car?”

“Yes. I know we can just… stand here and be ok. But it’ll conserve energy and, well, be a bit les conspicuous.”

The Seer shook her head, “Unbelievable… and four people sat outside an abandoned building in a brand new car doesn’t seem weird to you? Nope, I’ve got a better idea.”

\-----

Fifteen minutes later, Catra found herself in a slightly dingy room with a pair of beds and an old television. Lonnie lay sprawled on one bed, staring at the ceiling, whilst Frosta was back on her own phone playing a game. Bow was sat in the only other chair in the room and was fidgeting.

“What… is this place? A waystation?”

Lonnie opened one eye and arched an eyebrow, “Motel.”

“So, like a tavern, or a communal house?” mused Catra.

“That’s right.”

“And why did the attendant leer at us when you requested the room.”

Bow stopped fidgeting and looked distinctly  _ unimpressed _ , “The whole building feels like… failed attempts.”

The Seer turned her gaze at him, “At what?”

His gaze fixed on her and he rolled his shoulders, “At doing  _ it _ right.”

“Oh really? Well, people don’t come to these places for what you sell, Cherub.”

“I can  _ tell _ . But… it’s got potential. I can feel the connections here. Some are… so melancholy…” he blew out a breath, nodded, then stood, “Gonna take a walk.”

Catra smirked as he went past, “Doing some side-jobs whilst we hunt a world ending demon threat?”

“Hey, gotta pass the time! And this is me unwinding. Doing  _ gooooood _ y’know?”

Lonnie piped up, “Helping others  _ do good _ you mean?”

Bow rolled his eyes and held up his hands, “Without arrows, even. See you guys in a bit.”

Silence settled for a moment, then Lonnie smacked her lips, “Yeah, not relaxing. You standing there staring at the wall is kinda creepy. Anyone want a drink? Sawa coffee shop on the corner.”

Catra frowned, “Kahveh?”

The Seer sat up and eyed Catra carefully, “Uhhh… ground up beans in boiled water.  _ Coffee _ . Keeps you awake, helps you think? I mean, maybe not  _ you _ but us mere mortals need a bit of a buzz now and then, y’know?”

Across the room Frosta glanced up from her phone, “Hot chocolate. With extra chocolate sprinkles. And cream.”

“ _ Damn _ girl. When’d you become such a sugar fiend.”

“Since mead stopped being the drink of choice with you annoying  _ mortals _ . Wine,  _ ugh _ . Beer? NOPE. Gimme honey alcohol or GIVE ME DEATH. Chocolate  _ has _ to do.”

Lonnie shrugged then swung her legs off of the bed. She pulled her blazer back on then slipped past Catra, then paused for a moment, “Want one?”

She got a puzzled frown in return, followed by a slow nod, “Been a long time since I tried something. Surprise me.”   
  
“Ok, now  _ that’s _ a challenge. Find something a millennia old being  _ hasn’t _ tried before,” and then she was gone. Frosta eyed Catra. Catra eyed Frosta.   
  
“So.”

“So.”

The Dominion frowned and shuffled to the end of Lonnie’s recently vacated bed, where she plonked down. Frosta was deadpan then huffed, “Look, I get it…. You want to… talk about something.”

Catra turned her head and nodded, her ears going flat for a moment, “Yes. I am a bit… concerned that this thing may be out of your league.”

“I can handle myself. I’ve  _ fought _ demons. I’ve taken on TROLLS. I’ve  _ seen _ war.”

The Dominion cocked her head and opened her mouth to rebuke the Angel then paused. She turned fully and moved one foot onto the bed, draping an arm over the top “So, tell me about it.”

Frosta looked momentarily taken aback, “What?”

Catra shrugged, “I’ve given you my view. You’ve rebutted… but all I know is what I  _ saw _ in the apartment. You lost control, you  _ reacted _ . But…. that was when you didn’t know what you were getting into, what the environment was like. So, I want to know what you  _ do _ know. Tell me about yourself. Your past.”

The younger Angel blinked and swallowed. She heaved a sigh, “Ok… well. I wasn’t always Mermista’s… assistant. Or fixer. Or whatever.”

“ _ Obviously _ .”

“Well, as you know, i’m a Dverge. Spent a lot of time with the Jotun clans in Norway as well as a few of the Dane tribes. Back when there was an accord, y;know and the Mythics and humans, they kept to themselves. Skalds were still going on about Ragnarok of course and all that, so there was SOME mistrust. Well, the hold-fast I was overseeing, they had this… dragon problem.”

Catra arched an eyebrow, “A  _ dragon _ ?”

Frosta made a face and waved a hand, “Not a full fledged one - one of the half breeds. Watered down. But we had a clan of feral trolls and all that. I was down there as… well, I’d taken on human form for a bit, to get to know people - I was a new Archangel and, well… I’d been a shieldmaiden in life and was, basically, a Valkyrie. Can you  _ imagine _ ? I was so so STOKED! I got to do guardian angel stuff! Annyway… one of the trolls attacked the hold. And, well, I ended up ripping its arm off and then had to chase it all the way back to the lake. Then I had to take on its clan Matriarch and… yeah, that got rough. Thing had a demon armband, some sort of treasure it’d been given as a reward for fighting in the Fall. Tough as  _ anything _ .”

Catra nodded, faintly amused. The image of an Angel pretending to be human always amused her. The image of this tiny thing fighting a fully grown  _ Nordic Troll _ and a MATRIARCH no less made her grin widen, “So, what, you tickled her to death?”

Frosta held up a fist, “Hey, I’ve got energy for  _ days _ .”

“And you said it was a  _ dragon _ . Not a troll,”

_ “Getting  _ to that…. So, I kill the Matriarch, find out she’s got this looted treasure. I get the humans to bring it up, we redo the Hold, titles get handed out, all that.  _ ANYWAY _ , turns out they didn’t just have treasure down under that lake. I missed it, but there was a  _ dragon egg _ . And then, about fifty years later, bam, full fledged dragon just up and incinerates the hold, looking for revenge. Trolls had clearly been hoarding it as a weapon, but now it’s grown up and has no guidance, no clue, completely feral and insane. By this point, I look  _ old _ , y’know? Keeping up appearances… but no way can I let a dragon stay on the loose. So, off I go, challenge the thing and BAM. I end up having to take the thing down  _ bare handed _ … also, naked, because I lost a bet.”

Catra couldn’t help the smile, “ _ Naked _ ?”

Frosta rolled her eyes, “You ever met the vikingr?”

“Eh, a few times. Adora  _ loved _ it up there.”   
  
The Dverge sat up straighter, “Brunhilde? You knew her?”

Catra’s foot traced a circle on the floor and she looked away, “Yeah, long time ago.”

That got a confused look from Frosta, “So, uh… why isn’t she here? I mean, she was  _ badass _ . Thor  _ hated _ it when she visited. Kept beating him at arm wrestling… also, think he had a crush.  _ Hard _ .”

A melancholy smile ghosted across Catra’s face, “I only visited a couple of times. Not a great fan of the cold… even if we can’t  _ properly _ feel it. Always like the Mediterrranean though.”  
  
The dverge Angel leaned back on the bed, “Yeah, that’s fair. Been to Greece a few times. Weird seeing Brunhilde’s face on all those Athena statues though. OH! OH! You’re THAT Catra. Why didn’t  _ I REALISE _ .”

“Wait, what?”

“Oh, the one thing, the ONE thing that just annoyed me about Adora… Brunhilde. Wouldn’t  _ shut up _ about you. Too much mead and bam,  _ Bast _ this,  _ Astarte _ that. No wonder you left her behind if she was that clingy…” Frosta grinned, “Gotta get some space I bet!”

Catra sighed and blinked rapidly, “No… not at all.”

Frosta paused and sat up, “Um, did… did I say something wrong?”

The Dominion closed her eyes and shook her head, “No, not at all. Just… I haven’t seen her in a while. No one has,” she exhaled, then looked back at Frosta with a faintly brittle grin, “So, the dragon?”

“Oh, uh….” Frosta swallowed, then regained her swagger, “Well, I  _ punched it _ . Obviously. But uh… that didn’t… work. And then my retinue, who’re all outside, they just up and  _ run _ . Can’t blame them. A drake’s a drake, y’know?”

“Don’t I know it,” muttered Catra, memories of a long gone battlefield coursing through her mind.

“But one guy, one brave  _ idiot _ , just runs in and straight up CUTS ITS STOMACH OPEN. So, I just have to go and punch it some more and  _ bam _ \- dead dragon. Of course, by this point people will start asking  _ questions _ , so I give Wiglaf my whole estate, treasures and everything. And it was a  _ sweet _ haul. Like, so sweet. That dragon had a  _ lot _ .”

Both arms now folded over her knee, Catra leaned forwards and frowned, “You got greedy?”

Frosta made a  _ pfft _ noise, “Nah. It was… keeping score, y’know? Donated all that gold to the Hold, just asked Wiglaf to build a shrine, y’know… to the gods. But the idiot made it to  _ me _ . But, hey , ends the same, basically. So, there you go. Trolls. Dragon. Fists. Yeah, I get caught out  _ but _ I can finish the job.”

Her gaze was defiant and Catra nodded back slowly, “Alright. Benefit of the doubt - but you see why we’re investigating now? Why we’re checking all these things? If this had just been humans, we wouldn’t  _ know _ what we were up against. Charging in, swinging? That doesn’t work. It’s how Lightspinner got most of our strongest - their lack of planning. She used  _ their _ pride against them. So, we investigate, we learn, we prepare. OK?”

The young Archangel nodded slowly, “Ok. That uh…. Make sense.”

“Good. So, tell me more about your time in the North.”

Half an hour later Lonnie returned with the drinks. Catra and Frosta were laughing over and  _ incident _ with a longship, fifty barrels of meat and an angry sea serpent., “And THAT is how you make friends with Jormungandr!”

“What’d I miss?” asked the Seer as she passed a paper cup to Frosta, “Oh and no extra sprinkles,. They were  _ basic _ . I think if I’d asked for a macchiato, they'd have been cleaning brain matter of the walls.  _ Kaboosh _ . Minds BLOWN.”

Catra took her cup and sniffed it then blinked owlishly, “Kavfeh?”

The Seer grinned and shrugged, “Black with an espresso shot on top. Not quite a Turkish coffee, but nearest they could probably manage.”

The door opened and Bow strode back in, a thoughtful expression on his face. He saw the drinks and his face fell, “Awww! I missed out!” Lonnie grinned and fished another cup from the cardboard tray.

“Nah,  _ tea _ . Thought that might be more your jam.”

Bow grinned and took the proffered cup, whilst catra took a sip.

She blinked.

Then she tipped the whole thing into her mouth and swallowed. The others stared at her.

“Whath? Oo… Why ith my mouth thuddenly  _ hurtin _ ? It tathteth tho GOOD! OW. OW OW….” The Dominion winced, then glowed faintly whilst Lonnie gave her an incredulous look.

“You’re supposed to  _ sip _ it. Dang, how long have you been  _ away _ .”

Catra grinned widely, “OOOOH! I forgot how good Kavfeh was!”

Bow groaned, “Oh great. Now we’ve got  _ buzzed _ Catra,” Lonnie gave him an askance look, “We don’t do much… stuff in the real, even when we do visit. Soooo… yeah, she’s probably gonna take time to adapt. I mean, we _knew_ this but... it kinda takes _seeing_ it to remind yourself.”

Catra had her satchel open and was tossing scrolls onto the bed, “Ah HA!” She flourished the Archive scroll and unfurled it, “Been thinking, since the flat, that we need more information, as this place seems incredibly askance in terms of activity which doesn’t conform to normal operating parameters for a demon incursion or active corruption campaign, which is important to understand, as I was telling Frosta, because it will allow us to identify the exact sort of Demon we’re dealing with and the exact countermeasures and approach we will need to take to tackle said demon in order to emerge victorious; ERGO we need better information and I KNEW I took this for a  _ reason _ because I am just that forward thinking…”

Bow grabbed Catra’s shoulder and met her eyes, “AAAAAND take a pause.”

She stared at him, then shook her head. Her pupils slowly shrank and she grinned again, “Hooo. Right. Calm. ANYWAY, we have here a picture of our victim  _ and _ a scroll that provides us with instantaneous or  _ near _ instantaneous intelligence from On High. Ah! No touchy, Lonnie. Holy Artefacts can be VERY tempting for M-.”

Bow slapped a hand across Catra’s mouth, “None of  _ that _ ,” he looked apologetically at Lonnie, “We get a bit… detached. And insensitive.”

Lonnie glared at her, “ _ Monkey?”  _ Bow winced and Catra looked owlishly at the Seer.

“Um, it’s technically true. Baseline. You guys are apes,” she shrugged, “Nothing to be ashamed of.”

Lonnie pursed her lips, “Then why does it sound like a slur?”

Catra grimaced and nodded, “Yeah… ok, point taken…. Sorry,” Lonnie looked momentarily shocked - a full on Angel from on high just said  _ sorry _ \- and Catra turned away, “Anyway, the scroll means we can get some more answers buuut it’s really long winded. We ask the wrong thing we get a load of irrelevant data back. Then we have to ask again. It’s fast and useful, but…” and she looked back to Lonnie, “Maybe we can use some of  _ your _ abilities to good use.”

That got the other’s attention. Frosta arched her eyebrow, “Uh, what now?”

Catra pointed at Lonnie, “So, Seers can commune with spirits, even Heaven, with a circle and enough  _ juice _ , as someone so eloquently put it. Now,  _ we  _ can commune with Heaven with a circle, which is a bit of a pain to set up BUT we don’t need as much power. But it just sends and is  _ slow _ . Unless you summon someone, but that again takes time, requires juice and is… not the most convenient. So… I got to thinking on the drive…” She flattened the unfurled scroll out, “Maybe instead of a full  _ summoning _ circle we combine this scroll  _ and _ the circle and we can just… talk to the Virtues. And since Lonnie is well versed at doing this stuff on the fly down here, she can help set it up.”

Lonnie blinked, “Like, a celestial conference call?”

Catra shrugged, “What’s a conference call?”

The other three exchanged another look. Bow sipped his tea and rocked his head from side to side, “I mean…. That’s a lot quicker than having to build a focus. And as we’re moving, we don’t exactly have the ability to build and consecrate a full circle for communications. I just thought we’d talk to Mermista and she’d… relay?”

Catra waved at him in frustration, “Too long. And you heard Mermista.. There’s some sort of weird delay. Like they don’t  _ listen _ to her, or whatever. Can’t afford our messages just being  _ ignored _ even if Angella is literally standing in the Hall of Prayer waiting. We’d still have the lag on telling Mermista, her telling someone else and so on.”

“Wait, messages go to an actual  _ Hall? _ ” Lonnie looked like she was having a revelation, “Some sort of, what, Heavenly postal room?”

“Sort of. It’s a…. Receiving room, a chamber where information is channeled by the Eternal Throne. The Virtues monitor it and move relevant stuff to the Archives. Prayers don’t really do that, unless the person is of particularly strong  _ faith _ . Why’d you think we used to have so many of us  _ down here _ ?” Catra snorted, “Best way to keep tabs on everyone.”

Frosta peered at the Scroll, “So, uh, what? We just draw a circle and then dial up Heaven?” Catra gave her a shrug in return, “Messages aren’t my forte. Bow’s closer to that sort of thing. You think it’d work?”

The Cherub nodded slowly, “I mean… the theory’s sound. Tablets were an instant way of sending the Word down. We just… never tried both ways. And combining it with a summoning circle would mean we could talk to someone without dragging them down too… and with us here powering it, that means we don’t need nearly as much initial ritual or energy to force the connection either.”

Catra stood, “Ok… uh… can you guys get on that? I’m gonna check out the bar.”

The other three looked at her sharply. Lonnie cocked her head, “Alone? What if the demon’s there?”

She got a smirk as a response, “No… it’s… long gone. But one of us may get answers when four just scares them off. See Bow, I’m  _ learning _ .”

The Cherub frowned at her, “Yeah…. Not sure I buy it. But then again…. She does have a point.”

Frosta stood up as well, “I’m coming with,” Catra held up her hand and shook her head. Frosta flung her arms up in exasperation, “You  _ just _ said it wasn’t here.”

“I know. But… they’re more likely to talk to me  _ alone _ . And… I need some… alone time,” she turned her head away and shifted, “Look, hang around outside. Keep a low profile. That way you can help  _ if _ something untoward happens, ok?”

The Dverge nodded and Bow smile faintly at the pair, “We’ll sort this out. You two go  _ play nice _ ,”

He got another smug smirk from Catra, “Hey, late to the party. Frosta and I,  _ besties _ .”

The Cherub clutched at the heart on his chest, “Betrayal!” Catra just rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out, then left, her human guise returning as she exited. Frosta followed and paused, “I’ll call if it gets… out of hand.”

Bow shot her a grateful look, then glanced at Lonnie, who had a faint frown on her face, “What?”

“You guys… really aren’t what I was expecting.”

“And what were you expecting?”

“Assholes,” Bow chuckled and Lonnie continued, “I mean, she comes  _ close _ . But.. there’s something else there. Mermista and her Chorus, they’re… fairly mellow, but still a  _ bit  _ distant. To hear her tell it, you guys are cold. But, you two haven’t been like that.”

Bow shrugged, “I’m a Cherub. It’s kinda built in to be do nice things. Plus it gives me purpose. Most humans only see the  _ business _ end of the Choruses. The ones with no time to waste… Catra’s not had much time down here, not for a  _ long _ time. She’s been itching for something…. So you’re seeing her in a good place, despite the situation.”

Lonnie shook her head then turned to the scroll and planted her hand on her hip, “Not sure I want to see her in a  _ bad _ place,” she glanced over as Bow sniggered.

“Amen to that….”

  
  


\---------------------------

Dingy. The bar was  _ dingy _ . A neon sign hung behind the bar. The wood floor was scuffed and stained. The booths along the side were dark and lit by low amber light. A pool table stood on a slightly raised area to one side. It stank of stale beer and a cloying sense of resentment and… guilt.

Catra entered, her white suit a stark contrast to the dim interior. Several patrons glanced up from beer bottles and whisky tumblers and just  _ stared _ . They were a mixed bag - check shirts, jeans, trucker caps. Blue collar, tired eyes, calloused fists. Catra let a thin smile ghost over her face. Memories of Spartan pits and blood stained sand flitted in her mind's eye.

She strode to the bar and slide onto a stool. The man behind the wood construct was wiry. He had a hunted look to him and a receding hairline of once-brown hair, now fading to grey. He gave her a fairly obvious once over, then flinched “Yeah?”

“Wine. Something from the Italian peninsula, within the last two hundred years.”

“Lady, we’ve got Brown stuff and we’ve got Grey stuff. The brown lasts longer, the other stuff knocks you on your back. We don’t got time for grape-juice. You want that, go to the 7/11 and get a box.”

She smirked, “Alright, some  _ brown _ in a glass. And make it a large one.”

Someone slid into the stool next to her and red rimmed eyes focused on her, “You look a little  _ lost _ lady. Don’t get many  _ tourists _ , not anymore.”

She eyed him and shrugged, “Before or after that man was torn apart in his apartment?”

A silence settled across the bar and she glanced around. Men and a few women were stock still, listening carefully. She looked back at her drinking companion, who was staring at her with an expression she hadn’t expected: fear and  _ anguish _ , “We… don’t talk about that. Bad memories.”

She looked around at the patrons and her eyes narrowed. She turned back to the barman as he slid a tumbler across the bar-top, “I think you need to drink up and  _ go, _ miss. We don’t like people digging up old wounds. Bad time, best forgotten.”

She picked the drink up and took a swig, downing the fluid in one. It tingled and she frowned, then looked at the glass, then back at the barman. Her face shifted to faint disappointment.

“Drugs? You tried to  _ drug _ me? Really?” The man blinked in surprise and Catra set the glass down on the bar carefully, “Funny thing, I was going to ask nicely, just check some people out, try to work out why a man who wanted to bring wealth to this tiny pimple of a town was so brutally torn apart along with… potentially others. And then I was going to ask about that little pit you all have under your failure of a mill.”

The man next to her stood up. He was a good foot taller than her and he glared down, “You got  _ no business _ . Who d’ya think you are?”

She met his gaze coolly, “I answer to a higher authority. Don’t try to intimidate me. It’ll go  _ badly _ . So. Easy way, sit down, answer may que-”

He swung his fist. Her hand came up and caught it. It stopped dead with a  _ crunch _ and the man  _ howled _ in pain, then he collapsed to the floor, fist held in Catra’s grip. Other men scrambled to their feet, vacating tables. Some retreated to the door, others advanced. She heard the barman going for something under the bar. A mirthless smile slipped onto her face.

“Hard way it is then…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As ever, FEEDBACK FEEDS MY SOUL.
> 
> Let me know what you think, no matter how trivial. 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed. Next chapter, then we'll start to close in on THAT moment.
> 
> Once again, huge thanks to @ADORAGRAYSKULL and @catrasadoras for designing this AU that inspired this story.


	9. Karma's a b-

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lonnie and Bow discuss the nature of their lives. She meets a friendly face.
> 
> The town's mystery is revealed after Catra lets off some steam. Motives are identified, the threat... measured.
> 
> More revelations and the challenge increases.
> 
> \---
> 
> References to violence and abuse (Marginal)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another CHAPTER. Yes, I know, I spoil all y'all. Back to work solidly this week so may not have much more this week. Actually risking a commute into work!
> 
> Also, I gave you Catra being bad-ass... but i didn't want to write a COMPLETE smack down... some combat IS going to turn up later, trust me! But I tried "Guy punches Catra and wrist breaks." Funny about three times!
> 
> As ever, any feedback, let me know - I also LOVE seeing your varied thoughts on the plot, the direction and whether I'm teasing y'all TOO much ;)
> 
> We've got maybe ONE distraction next and then, well... we'll see ;)

Bow sat and watched as Lonnie shoved the pair of beds to one side. She glanced over and arched an eyebrow, “Not going to help?”

He cocked his head, “Well, you just kinda  _ got into it _ and, well… you’re the one who does summoning. I was waiting for direction,” he smiled and stood, “So, what can I do?”

The Seer canted her hip and frowned at him, “Don’t you… know?”

Bow offered her a shrug in return, “I’m a Cherubim. We do the whole  _ messenger _ stuff, yeah. But mostly that  _ was _ Hermes's Chorus though. But _we_ tended to be in person. This is a mortal mechanism, mostly… oh we  _ use _ them, but they’re… not exactly regular. And we don’t use them the same way.”

She looked curiously at him, “How you mean? I’ve worked with Mermista but… this isn’t a thing we’ve touched on. Don’t really  _ need _ to use the circles….”

“Oh? Why not?”

She fished her phone from her pocket and waved it, “She has a damn good company data plan, for one. Why bother with weird magic when I can just dial her up?”

The Cherub shook his head slowly, “That is… still amazing, y’know? I don’t really, uh… get time to take note, when I’m down here. Just, make the magic happen… and, well, that sort of thing looks after itself. Or my people do it.”

Lonnie frowned as she placed the phone on the TV counter, “How d’yall keep up then? Stay… relevant? How can you guys up there sit in judgement if… you don’t  _ know _ ?”

That made Bow wince, “We’re… part of it, I think would be a better way of putting it? We steer humanity buuuut we don’t judge. Not really. That’s uh… part of just how things are wired. We’re more like… stage hands? We make sure the play goes  _ right _ . But we’re more in on the people.”

“But this stuff is… technology, culture, it’s so much  _ part  _ of us. How can you be sure you’re guiding us if you don’t  _ know _ us? I never questioned it, y’know? Always thought Mermista was just… stuck up. But now, metting you two, seeing how.... unaware you guys are,“ she shook herself and looked troubled, “Shakes your faith a bit, I have to say.”

Bow gave her a smile, “Well, Catra and I… we’re just an anomaly. Most of those of us down here, they are in touch. And look at Frosta. And Mermista. They _ get  _ you guys. And, well… maybe there’s something for  _ us _ to learn. It’s been a weird few centuries…”

The Seer tilted her head, “Oh? How come?”

“Oh not with you guys. Humans don’t… change, really. Your souls go where they’re best aligned to - eternal wars, fields of endless peace, libraries with every book ever written and dreamt of… but our interactions have, y'know, gotten distant. Mara was already being cautious, didn’t want us steering you guys too much, like we did back when. Buuuut… she’s gone closed off. Quiet.”

“Why?”

“She….. lost someone. And we’re  _ eternal _ , y’know? For one of  _ us _ to go down it… hits pretty hard. That’s why the Fall was…  _ awful _ . And why we took so much of a hands on approach for a while, after. Didn’t want the Angels losing touch, getting  _ jealous _ all over, y’know?”

Lonnie frowned and looked away, “We don’t have that luxury. Just gotta deal with it. And you guys have gone all  _ quiet _ again… ‘cept Mermista. And her group.”

Bow smiled, “Yeah…. Yeah, we’re not…. It’s  _ easier _ I think, to stay up there. Think we're helping, staying distant. Now I’ve been down here a few days? It’s so vibrant but also kinda scary? And as I said, Mara has been closed off and that seems to be having a knock on to all of  _ us _ ,” He shrugged.

“Damn selfish if you ask me. We’re going through our own hells down here. We don't have that ever-living luxury. We got pain, suffering….” She wasn’t  _ angry _ but there was a slight tone of bitterness to her voice. Bow nodded sympathetically.

“It’s a gift, in a way, y’know? But a gift you don’t realise until  _ later _ . You  _ value _ things… because they’re finite. Precious. Fragile. It forges… a  _ bond _ so tough it can transcend lifetimes. Only a few of  _ us _ ever forge that. We have friends, attachments, loves of our own, but they’re like stardust…. Observed over millennia. They have meaning but, well… there’s a reason some of us Fall. Some of us become mortal. Some of us choose seclusion,” his smile was faint and sad, “Love is difficult for us. It can be more like deep deep friendship, a bond that stretches. But I’ve had friends who fall in love with a mortal, watched them wither and go…”

Lonnie’s had her back to him, impassive, “It broke them?” Bow nodded.

“I’ve seen nebula birth stars. Tended the wounded on the Asphodel fields. Helped a woman find the courage to leave her abusive husband and run away with the love of her life. And it’s that  _ last _ one I treasure the most, in my memories. And, well… you  _ will _ see those you love again. This is… just  _ one _ layer of existence. Us? We’re… about  _ purpose _ , fulfilling our tasks, our roles to the best of our ability. You... _ you _ are about  _ striving _ . Pushing against the world and its challenges,” He looked out at the window and smiled at the dimming light of evening, “How can we compare to that?”

“Sounds… almost lonely.”

“Well, as I said… we do  _ love _ . But… it’s complicated. And it also isn’t; we have bonded Angels, of course. Families. And their love isn’t any  _ less _ . It just can be magnified when things change,” He tapped the heart on his chest, which glowed faintly, “When we love, it is…. Almost an inevitability.”

“So, you an’ Catra…?” Lonnie left the question hang in the air. Bow blinked then grinned. He laughed, a short, happy sound.

“Naaaah. She’s  _ great _ don’t get me wrong buuuut. No. I know she’s destined for something else. I can sense it. Not sure what, but she’s gonna  _ know _ . As for me… my love is my work, y’know?”

“Always the bridesmaid, never the bride, huh?”

“Someone’s got to get their hands dirty! And I enjoy what I do. I love  _ seeing _ the love others have, helping it along. Like,back to my  _ point _ \- among us angels, I remember Spinerella and Netossa… they courted for two  _ hundred _ years. It was, according to Aphrodite,  _ painful _ to watch. She ended up locking them in a temple until they, and I quote, ‘ _ got it out of their system or just admitted it. _ ’”

Lonnie smirked, “Wow,”

“Eh, it worked. Sometimes bluntness works. And now I do that. It formed me, that story, from being some base Cherub. Help people along. Anyway, my  _ main _ point is, you guys are more  _ aware _ of your emotions, your feelings. With us… they creep up. They’re not distant exactly, more… secondary? Except Demons. Demons are  _ just _ emotion. Impulse. Well, the ones I’ve heard about are. It’s why they’re dangerous. Imagine having  _ zero _ filters. And the ability to blow up buildings when you get  _ testy _ . Or,” he rubbed the back of his neck, “That’s what we’re told. Not much dialogue back and forth anymore. Used to be, before the fall, we were two sides of a coin. Now, not so much.”

The Seer sucked in a breath, “Yeah, I get that. Know a little about demons and… well I’ll admit they aren’t  _ all _ like that. Suspicious, the lot of them buuuut you guys had a big ol’ war, so can’t blame ‘em for being cautious.”

Bow shrugged, “Eh, I don’t pretend to be an expert. That’s Catra’s field. All I know is that overt demon activity usually results in body-counts and misery. So, uh… what did you need me to do?”

Lonnie directed Bow to help her with the circle. It was a simple affair, as it didn’t need as much excess energy, what with Bow being on hand as well as the Scroll, which was a small bonfire of energy. Or reactor. Lonnie wasn’t  _ quite _ sure.

They set up markers at the cardinal points and Lonnie traced some old runes around the edge with tape she fetched from the car. Then they placed the Scroll in the centre. Bow paused and then slapped his forehead, “DUH! Better  _ warn _ them we’re trying this. Can you, uh… let Mermista know as well? She can flag if, um… we blow up the town?”

Lonnie stared at him then cocked her head and gave him an incredulous look, “Is that  _ likely _ to happen?”

“Ehhhhh, no? This is… new, remember. New  _ ish _ . But we did end up with a burning bush that one time aaaand we were lucky the message wasn’t two metres to the  _ right _ or else…. Yeah that’d have changed a few things.”

She couldn’t help but snort and shake her head, then watched as Bow stepped into the circle and squatted down to write something on the scroll. She watched the text flake away, as if it was never there, then picked up her phone. She buzzed a quick text to Mermista to explain what they were trying. It was a fairly long text.

Her phone buzzed.

**_Mermista:_ ** _ K _

Lonnie shook her head then glanced up as Bow stepped back. He cracked his knuckles and blew out a breath. With a shudder, his wings unfolded and Lonnie took an involuntary step back, “Woa. Uh… impressive.”

He smiled, “Thanks. Get them from my dads. So, uh… long time since I used a  _ circle _ but input focus  _ here _ and direct the energy to the focus at the centre?"

She nodded, “And you’re sure that… it’ll connect or whatever?”

“Think of it like a quantum particle - exists in two places at once, this just… allows both places to overlap in a wider area. Bit like your telephone calls that have moving pictures?”

“I guess. Though if I get turned to stone, I’m gonna haunt your feathery ass.”

“”Well, I think I’d have earned it. So… let’s do this.”

Lonnie nodded and took Bow’s hand. She flinched under the sudden flow of  _ warmth _ from him and closed her eyes. She began to chant words old even by geological standards. She pictured the scroll in her minds eye, thought about a  _ bridge _ … thought bout…

_“Um… hello? Oh! Hi Bow!”_ Lonnie blinked. In the middle of the circle, floating and faintly transparent, stood a young man. Blond, in a tunic of an old Nordic style, tied with rope. He clutched a few scrolls to his chest and waved shyly at the other Angel

“HEY! Kyle!” Bow grinned, “It WORKED! Wow, wasn’t, uh, sure….”

The blond angel brushed his unkempt hair behind his ear and grinned, _“Well, um, I theorised this was_ _ potentially possible. But a summoning circle to complete the bridge… hadn’t considered THAT. Like, a part summoning! Amazing stuff.” _

“Ehh, blame Catra, she pulled the idea….”

_ “Huh, interesting. Where is she? You not found your demon?”  _ Lonnie glanced between them and coughed. Kyle turned his head to look at her and stared. He blinked, then seemed to blush faintly, _“Oh. Um. Hi.”_

“Hey,” she frowned at him, then at Bow, who slapped his forehead.

“I am  _ so _ sorry. Kyle, this is Lonnie Laveau. She’s been.. .seconded to us by Mermista. She’s a  _ Seer _ . Helped me get this set up cos, wow, am I  _ rusty _ . Lonnie this is Coel Hen or, well… Kyle. Virtue of the Bardic Chorus and Keeper of the Seventeenth Archive.”

“Nice t’meetcha Kyle,” smirked Lonnie, “My lucky day, three Angels So, you’re, what some kind of celestial librarian?”

He nodded, _“Um, yes. Helping Catra and Bow with, um… all this.”_

Another figure stepped into the frame - a lizard-man who mouthed a few rasping, hissing words at Kyle, then plucked some scrolls from the Angel’s arms. The creature paused, glanced at Bow and Lonnie, then waved, before stepping out of shot. It returned a moment later to nuzzle Kyle’s cheek, then vanished again. Bow grinned and Lonnie noticed that the heart on his chest was pulsating. It dimmed when the reptile vanished, but… not entirely. Bow glanced down at it and frowned, then looked at Lonnie. She was staring at Kyle, but also her eyes flicked to where the lizard - Rogelio - had vanished. She seemed perplexed and curious. Bow cocked his head, “Huh.”

“What?”

“Oh, nothing… nothing. So, Kyle, I see Rogelio is doing ok?”

_ “Oh he’s, um… he’s  great . So helpful.” _

“Mhm hmm, good good. So, uh… need you to help us out. Anything on the town we’re in, any  _ arrivals _ from round here? Maybe you can grab Juliet, get some views from the souls. And this… Laurence guy? Did Catra leave the picture?”

Lonnie nodded and fished it from the side-board, next to her phone, “Right here.”

Bow held it up and Kyle peered at the image, _“Ok. I’ll send Rogelio out. He’s good at finding people. I think he’s got a real shot with the Dominions in time, y’know? But I’ve said, maybe he should petition for Archangel… He's been here long enough._ ”

“Not a Virtue?” teased Bow. Kyle shook his head.

_ “Gotta have some different things to talk about over mana, y’know? So, uh… does this thing… stay like this?” _

Lonnie shrugged, “No idea… but maybe an idea to just cut the connection unless we’ve got  _ big things _ to talk about?” she exchanged a glance between the two angels, “But I’m just a mortal, what do I know.”

That got a half shoulder shrug from Kyle, “ _Eh,, I was a mortal too. Still learning. Well, we know this works…. I’ll, um compile what we can. You could’ve just written it down, though?”_

“Catra wanted to see if we could.. Discuss things too - save some time. And, uh, maybe see if we can’t speed things up? How the Hall of Prayer going? They getting anything?” Bow leaned back and his wings fluttered faintly

_ “Honestly, haven’t checked. That Juliet Dominion came by, just um.. Gave me scrolls to file,”  _ he grimaced, _ “Not sure I’m keen on her, really.” _

Bow sighed, “YYyyyeah… some of them are a bit  _ much _ . Ok, well, we’ll tell Catra it works. Thanks Kyle, this’ll save time as we move between sites.”   
  
Kyle nodded then paused, _“Wait… you guys_ _ can’t teleport?” _

Bow shrugged, “Not really? Not like just dropping down from up top and zipping back, y’know? Down here, we have to move… a bit slower.”

The Virtue shook his head and frowned, “ _Huh… may need to recheck the information. I think some of the Virtues assumed that Angels could and… maybe the demons could. I’ll get back to you. Uh, um… nice to meet you Lonnie.”_

“Likewise, Coel Hen,” she smirked as the angel blushed. Then he flickered out as Bow released the connection, “So, now what?”

“Maybe hit up Mermista, see if she’s got anything else. Send that picture to her to… maybe he’ll pop up in her searches. And then, well… we see what Catra digs up.”

Lonnie shook her head and moved to sit on one of the beds, “How d’ya think that’ll go down?”

“I’m sure she’ll be perfectly reasonable.”

\---------------

  
  


Frosta was bored. She understood  _ why _ Catra had made her wait outside. But also, she was used to being the business end of Mermista’s organisation - cracking skulls, knocking down Weres who broke the accords and chasing down the odd idiot who had been slipped an “eldritch tome” by demons who thought it’d be  _ funny _ .

She had her phone out and was leaning against the fence opposite the bar. She could make out the faint, jangled tune of  _ Born in the USA _ from the jukebox within. There wasn’t even any real traffic noise in the tiny town - it was almost eerie. The place felt abandoned. Nearly  _ dead _ . Like those old mining towns in the Klondike that were barely anything more than rusted mine carts and timber frames.

All they needed was Zombies and the scene would be complete.

She glanced up from her phone when she saw several people exit the bar at a dead run. Then the music stopped with the sound of a record scratch at the  _ Down by the fires of the penitentiary. _ and her forehead creased into a frown at a sudden series of thumps and bangs, followed by the sort of scream you heard in Western movies. The sounds went on for a few more seconds and Frosta slowly began to straighten.

Then the window exploded outwards and a man tumbled over the tarmac. Frosta sighed and stood then paused again at the sound of a gunshot. There was silence followed by more shrieks, then the sound of metal being  _ crushed. _ She shook her head and pocketed her phone, then walked towards the bar. The Dverge peered through the smashed window and winced.

Inside was a scene that brought back fond memories of mead halls amidst fjords. Men were sprawled across the bar - a pair slumped one on top of the other in a booth, another amidst the shattered wreckage of a table. Two more were slumped over the bar, another lay in front of it. The smashed shelves and broken bottles behind the bar indicated that there was probably another person  _ behind _ the bar as well.

The side door to the restrooms was broken and a pair of feet poked out of the entrance. Frosta nodded, impressed, when she saw the juke-box also had a patron across it, the reinforced plastic clearly cracked and busted. Groans and whimpers echoed around the bar indicating that the men were most definitely alive. Just not in any state to put up much of a fight. Frosta did a double take - there were a couple of women, too, who’d clearly thought they could take the slight figure of Catra.

Who wasn’t all that  _ slight _ right now. She stood in the centre of the bar, the bartender held up in front of her. His feet dangled a foot from the floor as she held him with a completely straight arm. Her expression was mild irritation mixed with boredom. At her feet was a gun.

Or the remains of a shotgun. The barrel was squashed flat. And the rest of it was sliced into fine pieces.

“....ask again. And I was trying to be  _ polite _ . What happened to Laurence?”

“I  _ can’t _ ... “

Catra sighed and smiled. It was  _ not _ a pleasant expression, “What’s the worst that could happen?”

“...that night. Again,” the man’s voice was hoarse, rigid with fear. A damp patch spread across his trousers and Catra made a disgusted noise, then dropped him.

“Ugh. It’s  _ leaking _ . Oh, hey Frosta.”

The diminutive angel stepped across broken glass and wrinkled her nose, “This place  _ reeks _ … and not just the smell.”

The barman scuttled back until he was pressed against the wall. He whimpered and hugged his knees. Catra ignored him and nodded at Frosta, “Yeah. But… it’s not like the apartment. Our quarry  _ was _ here but… this feels like the  _ start _ of what we felt in the apartment.”

Frosta shivered and looked around, “Now I know what it is… I can  _ feel _ it. But how d’ya know?”

“It’s like…. A wave. Starts small. The apartment was the wave hitting the beach. This is that point in the ocean where it started,” she turned back to the barman, “So, come on. Just  _ tell _ us.”

“She’ll.. She’ll come back.”

“Oh so it’s a  _ she _ , huh? What, you dried drugging a demon and it backfired…” the man looked away and Catra blinked, “Oh, by Mara, you  _ did _ didn’t you?”

The man cringed, “Wasn’t  _ me. _ But… We didn’t…. Know. And… and not like we  _ wanted _ to. But we just… we wanted the town to keep going and it wouldn’t unless we…. _ignored_ …”

The man choked back a sob and Catra’s expression became cold. She looked at the slumped men - all middle aged or older. No young people. At all. Her eyes narrowed, “Talk. Now.”

“She’ll come back! You didn’t see her she…”

Catra snarled. Her wings unfurled and a bright white light engulfed the room. Bottles on the counter exploded as the alcohol boiled within. Spirits caught flame and burned with bright, blue flames, “I am. Losing. Patience. I I am Dominion catra, of the Fourth Chorus. Herald of the Glory of the Tenth Chapters, Messenger of on High and Vanguard of the End times. Where I go, I bring forth the glory of our Lady. Praise be, mortal. Cower, for you have been found  _ unworthy _ . Repent, confess of your sins.”

The man keened pitifully. Even Frosta had to avert her eyes. Instinctively, she knelt, head bowed, one knee to the floor. The sheer  _ pressure _ from Catra felt like it could tear the building apart. She realised the oppressive air in the bar was diminishing, though. Like it was being burnt away; rot cleansed by fire, “Catra… uhhh… you’re probably… gonna burn his eyes out.”

She winced as the Dominion turned her gaze upon the Dverge. But the senior Angel paused and inhaled. The glow faded, at least slightly, and Frosta got unsteadily to her feet. Catra nodded slowly, but her gaze was now back on the barman. All around them, the stunned patrons were staggering to their feet. Some were staring, clearly in awe. One man stumbled forwards and knelt before Catra. He was sweating profusely and kept making the sign of the cross in front of him.

“Fo….forgive us. We, uh,... we didn’t know. We just… we didn’t think it  _ mattered _ ,” his voice choked and he looked  _ wretched _ . His big, round, red face was streaked with tears now, which traced through messy stubble. He clutched his baseball cap in front of his, pressed against his checked shirt, “We made a deal with the devil….”

Frosta looked at the men around them. All suddenly ashamed and cowed. They should have had broken bones, lacerations. But all of them seemed hale and hearty again. She looked back at Catra, “You fixed them?”

“Of course. If people deserved to be punished for simple idiocy, well…. Hell would be fit to bursting. Willful  _ ignorance _ however…” she glared around at the men, “Speak, so you may be seen in the eyes of the Creator. Repent and mercy may be shown.”

They all suddenly began yammering at once, rambled, incoherent words, excuses, platitudes, hail Mary’s and the like. Catra growled and clapped her hands, “ENOUGH! YOU! Drugger of women,  _ speak _ .”

The barman fixed her with a stare. His jaw worked and his Adam's apple bobbed. His voice came out, as if dragged, “Town was in a bad way, Mill had gone under, economy and all that. All the young’uns just moved out. Then Laurence… his dad came through, bought it up, promised to make the place a boom town. And we had construction, jobs,  _ tourists _ . Mill was going to be made into some sort of industrial park, offices, luxury condos… but… but Laurence…”

He choked off as if his own mind couldn’t handle what he knew. He began to sob and curled up. Catra frowned and looked at another man who swallowed with barely concealed terror. But he managed to stammer out a few words, “...we didn’t know. Just… had people go missing. People started asking questions. And then… then the town meeting, the Council got… told: To get people to  _ back off _ . Too many questions, and the investment’d go. Promised no one here’d have to worry. Hikers, girls on trips… some just vanished. Sheriff did nothing. We just…”

He hung his head and the next man continued, his voice a hoarse whisper, “Like Hank said, we uh… we guessed. More of Laurence's company men were in town, buying up places. They had money. They built something at the mill. We had vans at night going out of the place. No one went near it. If you got close, you could sometimes hear… things.”

Catra’s eyes narrowed and the man fell silent. Frosta had folded her arms and she was taking deep breaths. A woman picked up the tale,  “Just rumours, y'know. That's what we all said. We had this fear. Fear that things’d die off, they’d leave. What was some weird traffic… y’know? And then one of the High School girls… she got washed up in the river. Big outcry. And that’s when we kinda… knew. But it all got shut down, the family bought off… threatened. They moved away, or we think they did. Laurence’s boys they’d… they’d just grab young people. Men, women… from the bar. People passing through,” others nodded, “Slip something in their drink, take them out and… that’d be it.”

Frosta looked incredulous, “And… you did  _ nothing _ ?”

A man gave her a pleading look, “You gotta understand, he could  _ ruin _ you. Vanish your family. Drag your name through the dirt. A sheriff got fired for… stuff on his computer. Swore blind it wasn’t  _ his _ . No more questions after that. What could we do?”

The room temperature had dropped. Catra regarded them all, “Cowards. Venal.  _ Weak _ . No moral fibre among a single one of you. And now you drug  _ me?  _ What, intend to continue his work?”

The barman choked, “NO! NO! We… we just… we don’t want people to know. It’ll… ruin the town. And if they know what we did to Laurence. What  _ she _ made us do.”

“Talk,” Catra’s teeth were clenched.

“She was a drifter. Can’t… can’t remember what she looked like. Dust and dirt and she looked  _ wrecked _ . I remember she had whisky just straight. A guy, one of Laurence’s construction guys, he slipped her a little something. I swear… she smiled when she drank. She was out, I swear she was out like a light… then she was ‘helped’ out and… that was that.”

Another man shook his head, “I… saw them drive up to the mill. And then… oh god the.. The  _ sound _ ,” the whole bar seemed to chill further as all the patrons averted their eyes, “I’ve never heard a scream like it. A man in pain beyond anything….”

“And then these girls, just running… we were shocked they were… they were…” not a single person looked at either of the Angels, “They ran like the devil was on their heels. Saw them just smash car windows and  _ go _ . We... we didn't do anything. Just saw them and watched them _run._ And then she… she came  _ back _ .”

Silence fell until another woman spoke. Her voice was hollow, “I can’t remember what she said. She just… _told us_ : that maybe we should go pay Laurence a visit. About how, maybe, weren’t we  _ angry _ about being manipulated? Maybe we should  _ do _ something? Didn’t we  _ want _ to do something? Make him  _ pay _ ? Because how long until there were no more hikers and  _ our girls and boys _ were next and…. And… she was  _ terrible _ and… beautiful and… oh  _ God _ I couldn’t stop listening. Even as I wanted to scream.“

Murmurs from the group, "So angry," - "Never felt so sick," - "Just wanted to _hurt_ something..."

The kneeling man continued, “Some of us went to the apartment. We… we ki… killed… Our blood was up. Sheriff in the front, kicked the door in. Rest is a blur. But… I remember.”

Catra looked around the room. Every single person was grey, ashen faced. The barman huddled up. He shook his head, “No man should die like that. What we did to him... Or you shouldn’t have to  _ watch _ . When we got there, there was… a  _ party _ at the penthouse. And we were already so  _ angry _ . The place, it was  _ evil _ and we made sure it was  _ purged _ . Or we thought we did. I,” the barman squeezed his eyes shut, “I see it  _ every night _ . Hear the shouts, the screams. The man who went out the window. The men in the guest room... we shot.”

“We all do…” murmured another patron, “She stood outside but... she goaded us on. We just… tore them all apart. Except the girls… those poor girls. Mo idea what happened to them. By the end of it, the Sheriff was the first to… come out of it. We saw what was left of Laurence, just strung up like meat at a market. We all knew what we’d done. All that  _ blood _ . A hundred of us, all over town, we just… tore them all apart. Wherever we found them. As soon as we saw someone who worked for Laurence, it was like a switch. They just  _ died _ . And then… then we  _ woke up _ .”

Catra blinked and studied them all, “How many?”

The kneeling man swallowed, “Thirty five, ma’am,” Frosta inhaled and looked at her. Catra frowned.

“But the only death reported….”

“Can’t tell you ma’am, just.. .the Sheriff did something. Knew people. Got it… brushed off. We buried the bodies in a landfill.”

Frosta shook her head, “No way does that just… vanish. That’s too many!”

Catra shook her head, “Except you  _ deal _ with people who come asking questions, right?”

The people exchanged glances, “We don’t kill them, ma’am… we just… persuade, or leave ‘em in a car a few miles outta town. Or, if they work for  _ that _ company…. Well, what’s a few more?” The man in front of her sounded indignant, almost. She cocked her head.

“And what of your mystery woman?”

“No idea. All we know is Laurence’s motorcycle wasn’t in the garage when we cleared out of that hellhole. Don’t know why we didn’t burn it after the Sheriff was done… fixing things. But it's like she's still here... or she was. Until you did the _glowing_ thing.”

“And where is the Sheriff?”

The barman winced, “Committed suicide seven months later.”

Catra nodded, “Alright,” she turned and marched towards the exit, bare feet crunching against glass as she morphed back to a more human visage. Frosta sneered at the crowd,then followed her.

“Ma’am!” The kneeling patron reached out, “Are… are we forgiven? Are we… back in his grace?”

Catra paused at the threshold and turned her face slightly, “Do you forgive yourselves? And if so…. For  _ which part _ ?” None of the people in the bar could look at her, “There’s your answer.”

And with that, the angels vanished into the night, only the looping verse of  _ Born in the USA _ from the busted jukebox piercing the silence of the bar.

_ “Nowhere to run ain't got nowhere to go”. _

  
  


\--------------------

Bow and Lonnie looked up from the Seer’s laptop as Frosta and Catra pushed their way into the room. Bow’s brow creased, “Uh… didn’t go well.”

The Dverge sank into the room's sole chair and hugged her knees, “This place  _ sucks _ .”

Catra stood by the door, face set into a neutral expression, “A town of cowards and opportunists. Slavers took the mill. Laurence was…  _ evil _ .”

The Cherub crossed his arms, “Was he our Demon, then? Or in cahoots?”

She smiled mirthlessly, “Oh no… they tried to kidnap her. It ended… poorly. She turned the town into her weapon. A punishment for all involved - the cowards to rip apart the villains. Then she left them to live with the nightmares they’d perpetrated.”

The Seer sat back and shuddered, “Sounds… karmic. Cruel, but… justified?”

Catra nodded, “Hell is a place of punishment  _ for _ evil. It was never evil itself, not really. Its custodians were never  _ really _ sadists or people who courted evil. Not until the Fall muddied things. But demons are agents of chaos and discord. They exist to tempt, to  _ challenge _ humans. To see if they are  _ strong _ enough. And our demon found this town  _ wanting _ . We do not have a mindless monster on our hands. We have someone who is  _ angry _ . Who is the epitome of Hell - someone who seeks to challenge what they see as unfair scales, dishonourable acts and injustice.”

Bow shared a glance with the others, “Sounds… kinda heroic?”

Catra shook her head, her tone formal, as if pronouncing a judgement, “They're a fanatic. What do they define as unfair order? As Injustice? And what lengths will they go to to set their perception of the scales straight? Demons do not necessarily  _ cause _ evil, but they leave it in their wake. They  _ use _ it.”

“That’s a fairly  _ blanket _ statement. Remember, you guys carpet bombed whole cities. You weren’t exactly benevolent yourselves,” Lonnie frowned at Catra who just shrugged.

“Which is why we stepped back. We began to pick sides. And that was not good. Demons… they will unbalance things in their quest to test souls, to tempt. And… I fear… to build Shadow Weaver’s legions. The rules have changed -a soul in hell is now a potential  _ soldier _ , not a being on the road to redemption. This whole town is lost. To fear. To guilt. To deep deep rage. I should burn it to ash, except that would send the souls straight to hell.”

Bow looked ill, “Can we do anything to… save them?”

Catra sneered, “I wonder if they are worth saving. Cowards, all of them.”

Lonnie shook her head, “We can’t all be courageous. It takes so much to stand up against the tide y’know?”

“When people are kidnapped while you sup at ale? That you know are being taken to have horrendous things done to them?”

Lonnie held firm, “Fear of what happens to  _ us _ . What happens to the ones we love? That’s as trong leash to hold people by.”

Catra sighed and shot Bow an apologetic look, “Which is why attachment makes you  _ weaker _ . A thing to be exploited. But not a single soul stood up. And those that did, the rest  _ left them _ to their fate. No, this place deserves to sink into the earth… we are done here. We know the nature of our quarry, we know  _ she _ has transportation, or possessed it.”

She pressed a finger to the photograph and looked around. Bow leaned forwards and peered at the motorbike, “Nice. It’s got something written on the side. Swift-something?”

Catra nodded. “The slaver obscures the rest… but it’s a start. Did the circle work?”

That got grin from Bow and a smirk from Lonnie, “As if you could doubt us,” she offered, “Yeah, clear as a bell. I’ll ask Mermista to start looking for a bike like that. Should narrow our route down. Do we go straight to the latest sighting? You kinda look a bit done in.”

Catra slumped against the wall. She suddenly seemed withdrawn, “Honestly? Not… not sure.”

Bow stood and strode over to her. He laid a hand on her shoulder, “You ok?”

“I knew humanity had its… bad side. I have  _ seen _ it. But it’s been so long. You didn’t see it Bow,  _ feel _ their absolute loathing…. Of themselves. Whoever this demon is, she compelled a bar, then an entire town to just… butcher those men. For  _ hours _ . She is  _ angry _ . But… she freed the prisoners, it seems. She is  _ not _ mindless. But she is dangerous,” she reached up and clutched his shoulder, “I don’t want to drag you into something like this. I may have miscalculated - she may be stronger than I expected.”

“But you can take her? Right? I mean, you wrestle Old Ones before um… breakfast, I think?”

She sighed, “It’s been so long since I tackled a  _ Prince _ though. They fight like us. I’m… not sure. We know what it is, though, but not what it  _ wants _ .”

Lonnie looked up from her laptop, “Did you say  _ Old Ones? _ Those things are  _ Real?!” _

“For a given value of real, yes,” muttered Catra, “And they  _ stink _ .”

“Huh, learn something new, I guess. Ok, I’ve sent that picture to Mer… she’s got her IT team running the data. Gonna take a while because CCTV and road cameras weren’t too widespread… and not as digital.”

Catra shook her head, “I understood precisely none of that sentence. Any more of the Kavfeh you had for us earlier?”

Lonnie looked her up and down, her gaze hardening, “I’m gonna assume that the chat wasn’t as informal as you claimed it was going to be. So, I’m gonna go get that coffee. So whatever you did at the bar doesn’t ruin a coffee joint too.”

She vanished out and Catra moved to the bed where she lay down, eyes fixed at the ceiling. She drew a slow breath and crossed her hands atop her chest. She thought back to the fight. It hadn’t  _ been _ a fight, really. Just men who charged at her, no form, no function. They saw a small woman and tried for knockout punches or a tackle.  She smirked, focused on the more tangible thought of an opponent than the vague concept of some Hell-beast. She recalled the man who’d actually knocked himself out running into her back; the one she’d plucked from his charge and thrown over the bar; the man who’d screamed as she’d hoisted him in the air and tossed him easily through the restroom door.

A flow of combat: As she moved, dodging when she didn’t really  _ need _ to, weaving between fists and pool cues and stools. Then the shot and the barman had found her claws could easily dice metal.as she’d yanked the weapon from his hands.

She exhaled and felt a melancholy memory emerge. Her and Adora, back to back, laughing on some Mediterranean island , sand red with blood as they duelled a clan of Harpies. The hell-spawned birds could hurt them, to a point. It had been an exhilarating fight.

She wondered why this place brought that to mind. Adora was never that far from her thoughts, to one extent or another. Maybe it was the lack of a decent opponent? The lacklustre nature of the bar brawl? Maybe she’d wished she’d had Adora there commenting on her form, her footwork. Or maybe Adora could’ve charmed the words right out of their minds without a need for violence. She’d talked so many people  _ out _ of fighting. Catra had a modicum of that compulsion, but she never had practiced it, honed it.

She glanced at Bow who was staring down at the heart in his armour. He was tapping the gem and frowning at it. It appeared to be glowing faintly. He glanced up at her, then back at the gem, “What’re you thinking about?” he asked.

She blinked, “Uh… nothing. Nothing. Old war stuff.”

“Huh. Weird. Must be this place, all that demon stuff just messing me about. Off my game. Thought the people here were sadder than normal. Everyone just… has that desire to leave.”

“Then they should,” Catra sighed and lay back. Her eyes fluttered closed and she found herself asleep.

She jerked awake to find Bow giving her another of his faintly horrified looks, “We  _ gotta  _ find a way to stop you doing that,” he muttered. She stuck her tongue out at him, then noticed first the smell of coffee and then the floating form of Kyle. She stood and plucked the lukewarm coffee from the dresser near the TV and nodded at the Virtue.

“Hail, Coel Hen. All well?”

_ “Uh, My lady Catra! Yes.. um… yes.” _

“My people are helping, I trust?”

Bow made a  _ go on _ expression to the angel and Kyle winced, _“Uh… maybe you could… ask… Juliet to be… a bit nicer?”_

Catra stared at him then nodded slowly, “Ah. She being… brusque?”

_“Yep. I mean, uh, yes my lady,”_ Catra pinched the bridge of her nose.

“I’ll speak to her. So, uh…. What have you got? I mean, we know Laurence was an evil soul, so I doubt you were able to find him.”

Kyle nodded, _“Well, um… Lonnie has been really really helpful,”_ the Seer smiled and brushed her hand through her dreadlocks, then offered a shrug, _“She was able to, well, bridge the gap between the, um..._ _ Lap-topping device, using herself as a conduit. Her eyes and all that... anyway . So, um, Mermista sent through some information on the motorcycle and we’ve managed to match it to a few of the sighting which we believe firmly places them in the  Demonic interference category…” _

He paused and Catra frowned, “I’m sensing there’s a  _ but _ coming,” Bow smirked and leaned her way.

“He was frantic before you woke up; weird watching a guy just run around on and off visual. Like a ghost but funnier?”

Lonnie smirked, _“I think it’s cute,”_ the Angels looked at her, except Kyle, who seemed distracted by something else as she ruffled through scrolls just out of sight of the transparent projection. Lonnie looked between the Cherub and the Dominion then blushed, “ _What?_ ”

Bow glanced down at his chest again, grinned and shrugged, “Oh,  _ nothing _ .”

The image of Kyle paused and hauled a large scroll from off-image. It trailed on the floor and disappeared into the ether.

_ “Ah, here we go… ummm. So um…. I think we missed something else…. I was thinking about a good, more efficient mapping route, but had written it off, cos, y’know, we all thought you’d be just flying or aparating all over. Or using gates. Or  something .” _

“Kyle…” The Dominion sipped her coffee and gestured for him to  _ get on with it _ .

_ “...and, um, well, some of the Dominions were curious why you hadn’t solved it yet….” _

“Yeesh, impatient  _ much _ ?” muttered Lonnie.

_ “And… um… if  you can’t aparate and we know most demons can’t… that means there’s another layer we missed.” _

Beside her, Bow tensed, “What do you mean?” he was addressing Kyle and Catra shook her head - she felt a little drowsy still. Clearly meat form from full-on-annoyed Angel was a bit of a mind-rush.

Kyle turned the scroll and pointed, _“Ok, so, last few years, we’ve seen some events. It was why we thought,_ _ maybe it was a group of mythics… spread out. Like Angella told you, Catra? But that idea got dismissed. Except… there’s  some events that are, well… parallel. Same day, or same time frame, but so far apart that, uh… it  couldn’t _ _have easily been done by the same being._ ”

“Maybe ours  _ can _ teleport? Or they have a network. Or it was an anomaly.” hazarded Bow. Catra shook her head.

“Well she has a motorbike so we  _ know _ she isn’t teleporting. The time between events already  _ implied _ slow travel…” she felt a bit irritated - the intelligence monitoring from on High was getting very sloppy. Kyle, at least, seemed on things. As did the Earth-bound. She’d be getting those facts put into her report and maybe some sort of review in place in case this happened again...

Kyle nodded his head, clearly agreeing with Catra “A _lso, they were so divergent in activity. Completely at odds - one was directed action, a bit narrower; the other more group focused. Again, we thought it was human or mythic… buuuut… they closed in. Last few decades we’ve had several simultaneous hits on the map. Got closer, geographically. Which would be weird for a single entity, unless it had a goal and was spiralling in, but we can’t identify a sensible end point or crossover point that’d justify it. AND it would be really difficult to transition between all those points if they were using terrestrial transport. Even_ _ flying the timings would be… tight. You can see why they maybe  wanted it to be humans. Or Mythics. Yeah. Sooo,” _

Catra blinked and looked at the other room occupants. Frosta was sat up, intent and then began texting. Lonnie looked askance at the Dominion and arched her eyebrow in a silent question. But it was Bow who supplied what they were all thinking.

  
“There’s... _ two _ of them?”


	10. A town called Dryl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Automation is a wonderful thing. FOR SCIENCE is a great cause.
> 
> Unexpected visitors is quite another thing. Sudden unexpected ROBOTS another.
> 
> And then the hits just keep on coming...

She was getting used to the idea of moving without actually  _ moving _ . Of course she’d been on  _ carts _ before. Chariots, too. Even horses, though those had been more  _ Adora _ ’ _ s _ sort of thing. She pulled it off. Catra and Horses had always had an arrangement - don’t bother me, I won’t bother you.

But carts were slow enough that it was just comfortable walking and horses were… well, the less said the better.

It helped having the window down, which allowed her to drape and elbow out and occasionally stick her head out of the window to feel the breeze ruffle her hair.

“You’re part cat, right? Sure there ain’t a dog in there too?”

Catra glanced from her position in the passenger seat over at Lonnie, who was driving. The woman had on a pair of swept back shades and a smirk on her lips. Catra snorted, “Your understanding of angelic taxonomy and makeup is alarmingly small.”

“What, not like you guys come with a manual. Ain’t no anatomy books. Y’all look different.”

“You all look the same,” muttered Catra and smirked as Lonnie lowered her shades to look at her.

“‘Scuse  _ me?” _

“Humans. Like this… you all blur. It’s  _ difficult _ to see you. You’re crammed into those bodies and the differences are so… small.”

Lonnie’s look of offense shifted to one of suspicion, “What do you mean?”

Catra shrugged, “Nothing. Just…. When you transcend you  _ become _ more. You’re unburdened. But each plane, each reality does something different to a soul. Here, everything weighs on you. Compresses you. Everything that is really  _ you _ is inside, invisible. Must be…. Hard.”

That made the Seer push her shades back up and refocus on the road ahead, “Well now, ain’t you a regular Doctor Phil.”

“Again, I got  _ none _ of that.”

The Seer smirked and shrugged, “Maybe what you need is daytime TV for a week. Get in some human lessons.”

Catra stared at the long, straight road ahead and tilted her head back against the headrest, “Maybe.”

“Woa, I was  _ joking _ .”

“No, maybe I do. There’s a lot we just don’t… get. Like, that entire  _ town _ …” she shook her head. The dying little sprawl was a few hours behind them now as they made their way cross country. They’d passed a state line and were now in what looked like endless fields of corn. The only notable landmarks were the power pylons they occasionally passed by.

Lonnie shifted in the driver's seat and nodded slowly, “Not gonna lie, that place was beyond screwed. But it  _ could _ have been worse. There are worse places in the world. Just… no hope at all.”

Catra nodded slowly, “And… we’re just not aware of it. Or….”

She lapsed into silence and looked back out the window. Lonnie chewed her cheek then blew out, “Or y’all don’t  _ care _ , right?”

The Dominion nodded slowly, “I just don’t get it. We’ve been fighting off interlopers, tracking the flow of souls and tweaking but… is it  _ enough _ ? Maybe the whole free will thing…”

“Hey now, don’t go thinking you can turn us into clockwork people!” Lonnie glared at her, but there was worry there rather than anger. Catra waved vaguely at her.

“Wouldn’t  _ dream _ . Just think, I’d be denied your amazing conversation,” she looked over and grinned slightly. Lonnie pursed her lips but smirked faintly.

“Asshole.”

“Eh. Do better,” she looked into the back of the car and adjusted herself, “How much further?”

Bow glanced up from the open laptop. He and Frosta were peering at the screen, going over the now-narrowed down list of sightings and incident sites. The Heavenly Virtues had managed to compile a much more refined list which Mermista had then been able to further reference with sightings of the bike - that was harder to pin down, until more recently. The sudden explosion of smartphones and CCTV helped, although the Earthbound weren’t as tapped in as they liked.

Bow glanced up from the screen and made a face, “Maybe…. Another hour? This place is really  _ really _ remote. And… what is this, Frosta?”

“GPS,”

“OK, the, um… GPS is really weird around here.”

Catra groaned and flopped back in her seat, “I am now  _ regretting _ the choice.”

Behind her, Frosta made a  _ pfft _ noise, “Whatever. This is the closest site with that potential  _ other _ . And Mermista hasn’t got anyone nearby so, well, we may as well. But it seems… really really weird for a demon.”

“Stealing?” Catra looked over the seat again, “Tricksters do it all the time.”

“Ugh… don’t  _ remind _ me. Loki. What an  _ ass _ .”

“Don’t let them hear you say that,” smirked Lonnie, “They’ll pretend you’re trying to hit them up.”

Frosta made a face, “Nuh uh. Not going there. That is  _ one _ bar I am  _ never _ going into.”

That made Bow look up, “Um, what now?”

“Loki…. Or Anansi. Or Coyote. Or  _ whatever _ they’re deciding to call themselves these days… set up a bar somewhere.”

The Cherub grimaced, “That one was such a  _ pain _ . Pranks, politics, anything….”

In the front, Catra chuckled, “But they put on some darn good shows. Saw them in Athens, in  _ Lysistrata _ . Adora found it so funny…” she smiled fondly for a moment then shrugged, “And no one in the audience clocked it was them playing four parts! No real need for mask changes when you can do what they do so well.”

Lonnie rolled her shoulders and winced, then peered ahead distractedly, “So you know ‘em too?”

Catra nodded, “Not seen them in centuries. I know they didn’t pick a side in the Fall, that much was obvious. Made them a bit  _ unpopular _ at home. More so than others… rumours they worked for both sides, y’know? But that’s rumours. I prefer  _ truth _ . Didn’t know they ran a  _ tavern _ .”

“Eh, they’ve tried a few things, “ Frosta muttered, “This is just the latest venture.”

Another grunt came from Lonnie, “I see there’s a diner up ahead. I’m gonna pull over, back is  _ killing _ me.”

Catra frowned, “We aren’t  _ there _ yet though,”

“You want to drive, be my guest. Some of us can’t just magic away muscle pain, y’know?”

The Dominion’s mild irritation gave way to faint concern, “Do you need recuperation? Healing. I can help if…”

“Nope, just a stretch. And something cold to drink. You always such a slave driver, girl?” Lonnie’s mouth twisted into a smirk as they approached a diner that sat to the side of the road. Fields gave way to a parking lot that was currently host to a few trucks and some cars. Across the road sat a beat-up looking gas station. Lonnie pulled into the Diner’s parking lot and found a space, “Anyway, you look like you need more coffee.”

“Oh, they do that here?” Catra’s ears perked up, “Great.”

Behind them, Bow chuckled and folded the laptop, then tucked it under his arm. The quartet trooped up the small set of stairs in front of the diner, their more  _ obvious _ weirdness masked behind angelic glamour.

The place was classic Americana - tile floor, red stools along a long, white bar. Coffee machines and glass cases filled with sugary-pastries sat behind it. Red faux-leather-lined booths sat next to the windows and Lonnie led the group to one.

As soon as they sat down, a waitress bustled over. Her hair was dyed green and she had a rounded figure. Sugar frosting dusted the apron over her red dress and she smiled a genuinely welcoming smile as she plucked a notebook from her apron pocket, “Hey there! So, what can I get you folks? Got a special on cupcakes. Tiny ones too! And our pancake platter is the talk of the town!”

Catra stared at the woman, then looked out of the window at the parking lot. She arched an eyebrow and looked back to the waitress, “Um. What town?”

The woman’s smile didn’t falter, “ _ Any _ town. We’re that good.”

Bow grinned, “Confident! I’m down for pancakes… interesting to try something for the first time!”

The woman smiled and scribbled their orders down - black coffee for Catra, ice tea and a bacon sandwich for Lonnie, with a honey slathered milkshake for Frosta. And a whole platter of pancakes for Bow. As she bustled off, Catra idly looked around the diner and mused at the patrons.

A varied lot - mainly truckers. Some looked nearly identical to those in the town they’d left behind - check shirts, caps, jeans. Humans really were just so homogenous. Where were the lizards? The Wheels? The Twelve heads? How did they tell the difference?

She sighed and glance over at the bar. A man with lavender hair and a white shirt was making coffee and chatting to their waitress. He leaned to a hatch in the wall and called out an order.  Something metal and with red eyes loomed in the hatch and Catra leaned back in surprise, “There’s a  _ golem _ in there!” she hissed.

Bow looked up sharply and Frosta frowned at her. Lonnie glanced up form her phone, then peered at the counter, “What?”

Catra waved a hand towards the kitchen hatch, “GOLEM!” she hissed in a stage whisper, “Animated thing of metal or clay? MAGIC thing! I thought magic was  _ hard _ down here now? And there’s a  _ GOLEM _ in a  _ kitchen _ . Doing  _ dishes _ ?”

Lonnie eyed her, “You’re uh… you’re not gonna go all  _ Smiting _ are you?”

The Dominion huffed, “I don’t do it just like  _ that _ .”

“Um, kinda nearly do,” murmured Bow across the table, now engrossed in the laptop again. Frosta nodded faintly and made an exploding noise whilst miming the action with her hands. Catra huffed and folded her arms.

“Do not…”

Their waitress returned and set their orders down, “Here you go! Enjoy!”

Lonnie reached up and gently touched the woman’s arm, “Hey, um, sorry to pry but… my friend thought she saw something in the kitchen, freaked her out a bit. Red eyes?”

The waitress cocked her head and then slapped her forehead, “Of  _ course _ you ain’t local. That’s just H. Short for Homunculus. He’s um… he’s our potwasher.”

The Seer blinked and Catra made a victorious sounding harrumph, “So, uh… what is... _ he _ ?”

“Oh he’s a robot. Donated by E-Tech. Supposed to be a cooking robot buuut, well, Bus doesn’t like giving up the grill! So we just have him do odd jobs.”

Lonnie turned and gave Catra a faintly uncertain smile, “See. Not a golem. Just a…. Robot?”

The Dominion looked at the waitress, then at Lonnie, “What’s a robot?”

“Oh dear me… how do you not  _ know _ that?” the waitress smiled in a faintly condescending way and Catra’s expression went  _ neutral _ . Bow looked up and leaned over the table.

“We’ve… been out of the loop a  _ while _ . Visiting from, um… a long way off. First visit to the United States, y’know?”

“OHHHHH! Tourists! Of course! So, a robot. It’s um, a machine that does jobs and runs by itself. But not alive.”

Catra spread her hands and looked at the ceiling, “So it IS a golem!”

The waitress looked uncertain but then her smile returned, “Well, if you get a chance to get to Dryl you’ll see a few more! That’s where E-Tech’s based. Whole town’s pretty automated! Clean too. I should know! Born and raised!”

Catra seemed to have lost interest, so Lonnie and the woman exchanged a few more pleasantries. Bow got lost in the pancakes, his eyes widening at the experience. Through mouthful he tried talking, “Youf gotta ti dis Cat’a.  _ So goof.” _

She frowned across the table at him, “I’ll pass for now,  _ thanks _ ,” her gaze tracked back towards the kitchen. She caught another glimpse of the strange metal figure, which was being spoken to by a woman in a chef's outfit, briefly visible through the swing door. She saw the chef pat the robot on the shoulder, then turn away. For a moment she swore she saw the contraption  _ nod _ .

Half an hour later they were paid up and back in the car. Catra settled back into her seat and glanced into the back seat, “Bow… where’d Mermista’s notes say this incident happened?”

“Uhhh…” he chuckled, “Dryl… E-Tech headquarters,”

“Hmmm...  _ golems _ ,” she grunted, “Great.”

\-------

  
  


The town was  _ odd _ . Cornfields gave way to solar panels and then to silos and  _ then _ to a rural style town of two-storey buildings. The cars in the streets were smaller, more uniform in design; white, boxy wifi-boosters were bolted to most exteriors. And it wasn’t just  _ humans _ in the streets. Strange, conical machines trundled down the sidewalks, playing music or acting as street sweepers. The shops had modern looking frontages and there was a sense of  _ progress _ to the place.

It was a complete opposite to the town they’d left hours before.

Catra clenched her fists as their car slowly trundled down the main street, “Don’t like it.”

Bow glanced at her and frowned, “Why not?”

She winced, “Can’t you  _ feel _ it? There’s… I can’t explain it. Like this place… it’s  _ too _ orderly.”

Lonnie sputtered, “Say  _ what _ now? You, Ms Rain Down Fire on unbelievers, think this place is…. Too well organised?” she turned the car down a street and they found themselves in front of a large corporate structure. The Seer frowned and shook her head, “Why the heck is this  _ here _ and not in, y’know, Silicon Valley?”

Bow shot Frosta a questioning look. She shrugged, “Wealthy place, tech hub. Buuuuut a bit self indulgent. Not my area, y’know?”

Catra stared at the building, her forehead creasing as she tried to discern  _ something _ about the place. She spared Frosta a distracted glance, “Not enough punching?”

The small Angel smirked, “Too much temptation to punch. I really really hate man-buns…”

They got out of the car and paused. Catra shook her head slowly, “What do we know?”

“Uhhh… Break in. No alarms tripped. Police report was  _ vague _ ,” mused Frosta.

“And a demon because it got past the  _ best _ security humans can throw at stuff?” hummed Catra, “And punched a guy through a wall. Any deaths?”

“Property damage… wrecked, uhhh…. Mermista and the Virtues say…  _ proprietary technological prototypes. _ ”

“And… we don’t know  _ what  _ was stolen?” Catra shook her head, “I’m still not convinced… or maybe it’s the town  _ again _ ? But better to check.”

Frosta’s expression twisted, “Mermista mentioned that the um… owner is someone she’s been keeping tabs on,” Catra shot her a look, “What? She just messaged me! Says there’s something, and I  _ quote _ , ‘Weird’ about her.”

“Well that is amazingly insightful and useful,” deadpanned Catra, “Let’s… just get in and scout the place out,” Lonnie sighed.

“We can’t just waltz in there. We need an appointment with… what’s her name, Frosta?”

“Emelia Trapp.”

Catra smiled, “Then let’s go make one,” then she set off for the main entrance, the other three suddenly moving to catch up.

The building was  _ very _ modern - glass and a curved design that, from the front, gave it a wave-like appearance. Behind the frontage, though, more industrial shapes could be just about made out. A factory, perhaps? 

Catra’s sense of swagger faltered faintly as she stepped over the threshold and into the lobby, however. If her cat ears had been visible, they’d have flattened. Despite the decor, she could feel... _something_ was off. Not EVIL. But _off_. The place was  _ white _ with grey streaking the decor. The lobby had some olive-green seating and a few purple drapes high up. It was an airy environment, showing offices beyond this atrium-like structure. Distant figures could be seen moving behind frosted glass. The lobby itself was mostly empty save for a few suited employees and some trundling cleaning robots, which looked like pepper-pots. She sniffed the air and hunched up slightly, then stalked to the front desk. To the receptionist, she appeared to be a woman of faintly Mediterranean descent, clad in a brilliant white business suit with a fashionable shoulder cape. The woman behind the desk smiled politely at her.

“May I help you?”

Catra studied the woman and smiled faintly, “Yes, we would like to speak to Ms Trapp. It’s concerning the break in.”

The receptionist blinked and frowned, “What… what break in?”

Catra looked back at her group and Frosta stepped forward, “We’re investigating cold cases, this relates to a break in two years back. We’ve uh… got new evidence we’d like to discuss with Ms Trapp,” The Dverge leaned on the counter and gave the receptionist an intense stare. The young woman stared back, nonplussed.

“And, um, which… agency are you from?”

The Dominion smiled and opened her mouth, but Lonnie stepped up, “Federal. We believe that this could have an impact on… national security. Or beyond.”

The receptionist looked sceptical and glanced over to one side. A pair of security guards were standing there and began to move closer. Some of the conical droids, present in the lobby as well it seemed, began to trundle towards them as well, “This is irregular. Previously all agencies made an appointment. I’ll need to see some identification.”

Catra cocked her head to one side, “No you don’t. Trust us… we’re here to help.”

The young girl blinked and frowned, “You….are?”

“We are. We just need a few minutes of Ms Trapp’s time, and we’ll be on our way.”

Catra was glowing faintly and Lonnie smirked as she watched. The receptionist was reaching for a desk phone when it suddenly rang. She blinked, as if a spell had been broken and plucked it up with a frown.

“Oh, um, Ms Trapp. I was about to call you…. Yes, we have…. Yes four um… agents I think? No I haven’t seen any ID… are you sure? Oh, of course, Ms Trapp. I’ll send them right up,” The receptionist flashed a practiced smile at the group as she replaced the handset, “Ms Trapp will see you now. Please take the elevator down to her laboratory,” and indicated a set of steel doors on the other side of the lobby to the twin set that seemed to lead  _ up _ into the building.

The Dominion eyed the girl or a moment, then smiled, “Thank you. You’ve been  _ very _ helpful.” She turned and led the group towards the designated elevator. Lonnie tilted her head as she regarded Catra.

“Wow, you managed to be  _ nice _ to a human.”

“Good deed for the day, done,” they all piled in and waited for the doors to close. The metal box rattled as it began to descend. 

Frosta fidgeted and huffed, “Anyone else unnerved by a billionaire tech entrepreneur with a secret underground lab?” her gaze swept the group and she rolled her eyes as only Lonnie nodded, “Wrong crowd. You guys haven’t watched enough James Bond, clearly.”

The elevator rumbled to a stop and the doors rattled open to reveal an empty space before them. It looked like a warehouse, except for the double doors at the end. It wasn’t a huge room, just a glorified corridor. They stepped forward and Catra saw several blinking red lights, one in each corner of the room - cameras? Was that what they were called?

Suddenly the floor  _ flared _ as a set of neon sigils lit up. A circle traced itself around them and blazed with white flame. Catra rolled her eyes and folded her arms, “ _ Really _ ?”

Frosta looked worried, “Um… a binding circle? Then… she must  _ know _ …”

A screen descended from the ceiling and an eye appears, “ _ HELLO?! Is… is this thing on - OH! THERE WE GO! AH HA! BACK to steal my….wait. You aren’t  _ her _ ….” _ the eye pulled back to reveal a woman in her thirties, purple hair bunched into pigtails. She seemed to be wearing a stained set of coveralls, though only her top half could be seen, “ _ Who are YOU? Strange, systems detect abnormal body temperature and electromagnetic frequencies around THREE of you…. And a really strange set of biorhythms… hmmm.” _

The wall panels on either side of the room slid apart to reveal a set of mechanical humanoids, which tramped out jerkily. They had no features, but appeared little more than an engine set atop ball-jointed limbs and arms. Heads inset with round cameras swivelled to watch them, whilst claw-like hands gripped at rods that buzzed with electricity. Catra gave them a bemused glance, then peered at the now blank screen. Lonnie twitched and swallowed, “I know you guys might be fine but….”

The doors at the end of the room opened and the woman who had been on the screen walked in. Or rather the chair in which she sat walked in. Her own legs were strapped together and held down on the seat, which was itself propelled by a set of spider-legs. She scuttled forwards and peered at them, “Hi. Sorry, precautions. That circle, I’ve been assured, will hold anything up to a category three demon, which is the strongest on record for the past  _ two hundred years _ . Are you demons? I’ve only met a few. Hard to tell. Where are you from? Which plane? Was it hot there? Do you feel pain? Oh, wait, that one could be construed as a threat… do I need to threaten you?”

She seemed lost in thought and Catra cocked her head, “Uh…. Emily Trapp?”

“YES! That’s me! Are you here for my soul?”

“Um, no. We… wanted to talk to you about the theft,” Catra glanced at the  _ robots _ , “We need some information.”

The woman blinked and smiled, “Well, maybe. But I’ve been told demons are tricky and well, I can’t let you out. Not until I’ve done some extensive testing, maybe some samples…. OOOH! Would you consent to vivisection?!”

The Dominion sighed heavily, “I do not have time for this…”

“Well, I’m afraid you’ll have to comp-” the woman blinked as Catra stepped  _ out _ of the circle and gentle tapped her on the chest. There was a flash of electricity and the girl  _ buzzed _ and shuddered. Her spider-chair collapsed and she went limp. Lonnie stared.

“What did you  _ do?!” _

“Oh just stunned her. She was going to talk our ears off. Now, out of there, please.”

Frosta winced, “I can’t… these things can make an Archangel… stay put.”

“Bow?” Catra arched an eyebrow at the Cherub who nodded, then picked Frosta up bodily under her armpits and carried her out of the circle, “Whatever a third level demon is…. Well, Bow and I are probably a tiny bit above that. You coming Lonnie?”

The woman shook her head in disbelief, then stepped over the ring boundary. Clearly humans hadn't been factored into ITs design. The robots, however... Around them, the robots whirred and hummed.  Then they all locked up. A red glow suffused them and, as one they turned to face Catra. The screen came to life once more and a voice boomed out in a gravelly tone, worry tingeing the irritation.

_ “En-Trap-TA?” _

Catra stared at the face on the screen. She goggled. Red eyes in a bone-white face stared back at her.

“HORDAK?!”

The face stared back and blinked, “ _ CatRA?” _

“HORDAK?!” She looked around at the robots, then back at the screen. Next to her, Lonnie looked at her, confused.

“Hordak?”

Catra nodded, “Hordak,” her voice slightly disbelieving. Frosta looked at the Cherub.

“Bow?”

He was staring at the screen as well, “Hordak,” he murmured. She flung up her arms then pointed at herself with a scowl.

“FROSTA, if we’re doing that…”

On the floor Entrapta wheezed, “Hooo… that was a  _ doooozy _ . How’d you  _ do _ that? And how are you out of the circle?”

A robot shoved through the crowd of other droids, which were still immobile, if still threatening. This one had much more  _ refinement _ to it, although it was still bulky around the torso. It also appeared to be wearing a sort of robe. The head was white, with a blue cowl and the eyes were red. Catra flung up her hands.

“Ok. Robot Hordak. Great. Just  _ great _ . I guess we’re doing this then.”

The robot ignored her and knelt next to Emily, “Are you harmed, Entrapta?”

“No, no… but what a  _ rush _ . You didn’t say demons could do  _ that _ .”

The robot looked at Catra and the Dominion flexed. Her wings emerged and she readied herself. The machine  _ blinked _ \- its face was intricate, almost  _ alive _ . Then it spoke again, voice dripping with disdain, “They are not demons. They are  _ angels _ .”

Emily’s eyes went wide and she covered her mouth with her hands and made a  _ squeeeeee _ sounds, “OH MY GOODNESS! SO MUCH  _ more _ data to collect!”

Catra stared at the two. Her unfurled wings drooped as she noted how the Robot Hordak was carefully helping Entrapta back upright, adjusting her chair. She looked at the face on the monitor which was  _ also _ focused on Entrapta…. Emily… or whatever. She shook her head, “I have a feeling I’m going to regret asking but….  _ What _ is going  _ on?” _

The tech CEO looked at her and blinked, then looked at the robots around them, “OHHH! We are at an  _ impasse _ . I think. Always hard to tellllllll….OH! When I get stuck , I find TEA and CUPCAKES helps focus. Hordak, would you mind? I can take them to the drawing room.”

“Entrap _ ta _ . They are ANGELS. They are… malcontents who will  _ disrupt _ things.”

“Hordak, we need to be good hosts.”

Catra glared from screen Hordak to Robot Hordak, “Afraid we’re going to foil your plan to bring your circle to the Earth and conquer it? You’re Primes errand boy and….”

“What? No,” Robot Hordak sneered, the expression mirrored by his screen presence, “We have multiple experiments ongoing. Your presence will  _ sully _ the results.”

Bow and Catra exchanged a look. She was  _ thoroughly _ confused. Emily smiled, “THIS WAY! TEA AND CUPCAKES!”

\------------

Five minutes later they found themselves in the drawing room. And it was a drawing room - there were blueprints on the wall, a huge drafting desk in one corner and a table strewn with sketches.

Mostly of Hordak.

Catra sat squashed between Bow and Lonnie, while Frosta sat another couch next to Robot Hordak. Each of them, save the robot, had a small cup of tea clasped in their hands.

It was the  _ single _ most surreal thing Catra had ever experienced. Emily sat in her ambulatory chair and regarded them with a smile, “Angels. Wow. I mean, finding out about  _ demons _ was one thing. Whole understanding of planar dimensions, understandings of energy transference, consciousness, manipulation of fields via remote systems…”

Catra glared at the robot, “Demons… so what, you summoned  _ HORDAK _ ...A PRINCE of Hell, by accident?”

Emily smiled wider, “Well, yes. Though it was more the quantum computer. Turns out, certain calculations, when run through a quantum matrix act in a manner similar to um… I think you call them  _ circles _ . And, well…. Hordak just fell in.”

The Robot looked away. With, Catra realised,  _ embarrassment _ . She stared then spoke, slowly, “You…  _ caught _ him?”

“Well, not  _ caught _ … he wanted in.”

“I… was exploring,” offered Hordak awkwardly. He looked down at his metal fingers, then up at Catra. The mechanical face twisted his lip into a sneer, “As is my  _ role _ .”

“Yeah, new places for  _ Father _ dearest to eat.”

Hordak looked like he was about to say something. But Emily reached over and patted his metal hand, “Remember… gauge your response. Like we read about.”

The robot looked at the girl's hand. Then he rotated his wrist and entwined his fingers with hers. She nodded, seemingly pleased. Bow looked down at his chest as the heart there  _ pulsed _ . He looked at Catra and splayed his arms helplessly and with a very  _ very _ confused expression. Catra, for her part, gave up. She slumped in her seat.

“So… I take it Hordak was your… thief. Seeing as he’s all about knowledge.”

Lonnie raised a hand, “Um… not familiar. Sorry,” Catra shrugged then made a mocking gesture at the demon.

“You want to field this, Oh Lord of the Horde?”

“If I  _ must _ ,” he turned and looked at the Seer, face twisted with disdain, “I am Hordak. The Envoy. Seeker of Knowledge and Hidden Ways. Master of Invention and Warfare….”

Catra interrupted, “Also once known as Hephaestus. Until we found out….” she fixed him with a glare. And to her surprise, he looked  _ away _ .

“That was…. The old me. The me who had no  _ will _ of his own.”

Lonnie looked  _ thoroughly _ perplexed, “Is he...a Fallen?”

Catra shook her head, “He’s… one of Prime’s offcuts.”

“Prime?” Lonnie still looked confused.

“An Old One. eater of realities, basically. Hordak here is one of his aspects.”

“ _ Was _ ,” hordak looked at Emily and squeezed her hand again, “Until… I found liberty. And made a…. Friend.”

Catra rubbed the bridge of her nose - she swore she could feel a migraine coming. She wondered if she should let it - she’d never had one before, “I feel like I’ve missed so so so many layers here. So,  _ you _ , Emily, managed to  _ accidentally _ capture a Prince of Hell. In a…. Lappy top?” she gestured at the one Bow had clutched to his chest currently.

Emily shook her head, “Oh no. Hordak is currently in the computer system that operates the town.” she smiled broadly. Catra stared at her, then at Hordak.

“Give me one good reason I don’t order a Century of Powers here right now to  _ level _ this place. He is a PRINCE, Emily. He has a FOOTHOLD. He can bring his…”

“What, legions? What do I care for the petty squabbles of Hell. It was never my home,” Hordak practically spat the response, “Even before your paltry squabbles with that insufferable bore Shadow Weaver, I was only concerned with  _ knowledge _ . With invention… even with my…. Task. What care I for the pathetic back and forth of  _ children _ ? Shadow Weaver can have my pathetic excuse for an  _ army _ . It was never mine. I had nothing of  _ mine _ . Not until… until Entrapta freed me.”

Catra actually fell silent as she stared at him. She felt something tug at her, something  _ old _ . Envy? Yearning?  _ Empathy _ ? Next to her Bow nodded slowly.

“You had no real purpose, no real goal, right?” he spoke, quietly.

“Only my Father’s fickle  _ whim _ . And after the Fall I was brought low, tasked with sowing chaos. Siding with the prideful  _ idiot _ in the Lake. Not gathering information, not  _ learning _ . Not…. creating. Now I am free. To choose,” he looked at the Cherub and the Dominion, “And I choose to be  _ here _ . What purpose would conquest serve? What creation can I achieve if I break my laboratory? No. I cannot  _ stop _ you. That I know. So….”

Catra watched as he rose and folded his hands behind his back, “So?”

“So. I place myself at your mercy. Spare Entrapta. She has no ill will, no evil intent. This I vouchsafe to you, with the honour of all Hell-spawn, though I am not of their _ true _ ranks. I adopted their ways. And we do  _ not _ lie.”

Catra leaned back and exchanged confused glances with the others, “Um. Well.. That is… not what I was expecting.”

Hordak turned to Entrapta and bowed, “It has been an honour…. Emily.”

The look she gave him was one of shock and  _ grief _ , “No… no Hordak. You… you can’t go. You can’t  _ take _ him!” she turned angry eyes on Catra, “You CAN’T.”

She was lost in a whirl. This was  _ not _ something she’d experienced. Not for a  _ long _ while. And  _ never _ like this. She felt Bow touch her arm and she turned to him. He gave her a pleading look and tapped the heart on his chest. The Dominion gave him an incredulous look then huffed. She stood as well and faced Hordak, eyes narrowed.

“You have renounced Hell you say?”

He met her gaze, “I have.”

“And your allegiance to Prime?”

“Severed. My… current condition has freed me from his impulses.”

She nodded slowly, “I can’t believe I am doing this… sit down, Hordak.  _ Bow _ thinks you’re genuine.”

Frosta huffed, “Mermista is going to pitch a  _ fit _ over this. You screwed her  _ bad _ you know that Hordak?”

The robot-demon…. Thing looked over at Frosta and frowned, “Ah. Yes. Triton. I remember,” he smirked, suddenly, “Oh dear. So sad,” a cough from Emily made him twitch and then he relaxed a tiny bit, “BUT…. I will look to make appropriate amends,”

The former Prince sat back down and Emily looked at Catra with a frown, “So. You’re  _ not _ here for him?”

“We’re here about a theft… and a demon. And here’s a  _ demon _ .”  
  
“Oh! THAT! Definitely not Hordak. He did try to stop her, but it didn’t work. Hard to track something that can  _ literally ignore walls _ . Amazing. Normally that sort of functional movement and matter transference would need a full blown FUSION reactor. But she did it by just moving. Wish we’d been able to catch her!” Emily sighed, then frowned, “She did take something… what was it….?”

She turned and trundled off to a workstation nearby. Hordak frowned after her and seemed  _ agitated _ as he shifted, “I believe it was… the compressed portable drive.”

“OH! Yes! It was a few months after we’d integrated Hordak into the town’s central operating system and got him helping manage the infrastructure. He improved efficiency by 79% in a single hour! I was so proud!”

“It was a simple matter of divining more optimal pathways and logistical supply chains….” muttered Hordak. But he looked faintly pleased. Catra blinked again. She needed another coffee, she felt. But Emily barrelled on.

“I was considering a method of integrating the quantum matrix to a broader, national infrastructure. Have Hordak interface directly but….”

Catra was about to jump up with an  _ AH HA! _ But Hordak was shaking his head, “No. I will not become… Prime. I… I will not be the spider at the centre of a web. I can see you are still contemplating the concept, Entrapta. Please, dispose of it. I am  _ content _ with this. I do not wish to be…. Perfect.”

Emily smiled, her expression suddenly less intense, softer, “Then that’s fine, Hordak. Um, where… where was I?”

“The compressed drive.”

“OH! YES! So, in lieu of Hordak being the master controller, “Catra flinched involuntarily, “We went for a similar theory to his Prime origins… but with a more benign approach. Independent learning systems, using Hordak as a baseline. With his consciousness we were able to clone functional AI! Buuuut storage was a problem. So, we stored the prototype on a detachable, super-drive. My own design, not for market…. And, well… she took it.”  
  
Catra leaned forward, “She came on a motorbike? Smashed her way in?”

“No, like I said. She just…. Teleported. Smashed a few security drones, put poor Robert in the hospital. Hordak could only track her using electromagnetic waves.”

“She knew what she was looking for then?” murmured Lonnie, who still seemed fairly rattled by the whole conversation, the tiny cupcake in front of her untouched. Emily nodded.

“I believe so. She was on a clear direction to this laboratory. Mine, I mean. Not our testing labs, not our manufacturing or our offices. I thought she was some sort of industrial espionage type person, just very sneaky. Until she teleported right next to me, snatched the drive and… vanished.”

Catra leaned forwards again, “What did she look like? Did you get any imagery? Any trace of any sort?”

“Well… Hordak was able to identify her aura, using the electromagnetic and thermal imaging systems. Would that help? Oh, um… I can only really remember that she left… black sparkles when she teleported. Like black glitter.”

The Dominion frowned and leaned back, “Not much to go on. But an aura might give us  _ something _ to track more effectively.”

Hordak shifted again, “I… may be able to render more detailed  _ assistance _ . If I communicate with your colleagues beyond  _ here _ in a suitable manner to conceal my nature, I will be able to provide effective computational support. I am aware of trit-  _ Mermista’s _ operation. It is why I have been able to remain concealed… even if her approaches are dismal and amateurish in the  _ digital _ sphere.”

Catra shook her head, “ _ MAYBE _ ...I need to talk with her first. And work out…. _ this _ . What could the demon  _ do _ with this… drive?”

“A nascent AI in there?” Emily shrugged, “Depends how technically adept they are. In the right hands… maybe they could disrupt a nations infrastructure, if the AI has no guiding principles. But… it’s compressed. Unfurnished with context. It’ll be at best an infant by comparison. Able to absorb and process information, yes…. But they’d need a substantial amount of computational power to make use of it. And, well…. If they  _ had _ used it, we’d have noticed. It’s been two years.”

The Dominion clutched her head, “None of this makes  _ sense _ . A demon just wanders through a small town and decides to pass judgement; we;ve got reports of animal attacks and scaremongering after having nearly fermented rebellions in Europe; another demon just takes a specific piece of technology but then does nothing with it?” she sat back, “It’s just… random. Hordak, this is technically  _ your _ area…. Why…. why are they doing this?”

She was tired, she realised. And she wasn’t sure  _ why _ . It wasn’t exhaustion, just frustration that seemed to be settled in her bones. Across the coffee table, the demon-robot regarded her, “One option is simple disruption. Chaos. That would create disruption enough to channel individuals into the grasp of Shadow Weaver. Another option is… that your quarry is simply a lone operative. Not all Demons swear loyalty; and those that do may work around it. If there are, as you surmise, two of them, then they may not be working in concert. They may be at cross purposes.”

“Not helpful. We’ve already had that conversation.

“Then you require more data. Or simply you should commit to the most recent activity for fresher information. The algorithm that was stolen is primarily based on  _ me _ . And I was originally a seeker of  _ knowledge _ . I would thus extrapolate that one of your demons is  _ looking _ for something and wanted a tool to aid in that. But has thus far been unable to work out how to  _ use _ the tool.”

Catra blinked, “That’s… actually a useful bit of information. Thank you,” Hordak nodded curtly. Emily grinned.

“SEE! More friends Hordak. And this is  _ how _ we make progress. By making mistakes, by learning. By gathering data! Just like you said you used to do! SEE!”

A few hours passed. Incredibly awkward hours. Stilted conversation, exchanges of opinion and mostly Emily grilling them on basic facts about Angels and their abilities.

Late in the afternoon, the quartet found themselves back outside of the E-Tech building. They milled about not quite meeting each others gazes. Catra tapped her fingertips together and pursed her lips.

“So.”

Bow nodded slowly, “Yep.”

Lonnie shook her head, “I… do not want to know what they are getting up to now.”

Frosta had a thousand yard stare, “She was getting… handsy.”

Bow mused for a moment, "What was with the _Entrapta_ thing?"

The seer shrugged, "Pet name I bet. You saw how he _said_ it?"

A thoughtful expression crossed the Cherub's face, "Hmmm... good point."

The Seer looked at him carefully, “And you’re sure it’s not… compulsion? Like, he’s got her swayed and he’s gonna launch a demon invasion?”

Bow tapped the heart in his chest, “This thing never lies. And I  _ know _ . What they’ve got…  _ so real _ it hurts. We take him away, she breaks and maybe… ends the world. She's bright enough. Take her away, we got a fully annoyed and re-juiced demon prince. Together…. I think they’re safe. Right Catra?”

The Dominion shook her head and gave them a faint smile, “Huh? Sorry, oh, yes… yes. I’m just not quite sure how to frame this. To, well… anyone. By rights I should have cast him back down. But… as Bow says, he’s  _ sincere _ and… “

Loonie watched her, “What happened to fire and brimstone and retribution?”

“Maybe…. Maybe I’m trying something different. And maybe,” she looked at Bow, “a different approach could help. Anyway, Hordak doesn’t  _ do _ subtle. He was more an overwhelming force and scary weaponry type of… Angel, Mythic demon  _ person _ . And he was all about  _ learning _ . I’m… inclined to believe him.” she ran a hand over her face, “Oh dear  _ Mara _ what am I  _ DOING? I  _ just left a DEMON PRINCE… and not just  _ any  _ Prince… an aspect of  _ PRIME _ in charge of a town. Someone is going to drag me backwards through the Golden City….”

She slumped against the car and Bow sidled up to her, “Hey… don’t worry. I’ll back you. And… he said he’d  _ help _ . Maybe that’s something you can use? Show he’s reforming? And… maybe have your teams put him under watch?”

Frosta nodded, “Like, house arrest! Or, uh… probation!”

Catra hugged herself and looked, for a moment, uncertain. Then she nodded, “Sounds fair. And… I’ll think about it. Frosta, can you call Mermista? I need to talk to her. And maybe we should find somewhere to set up the circle too. I think… maybe Hordak was right. Get to the most recent site, root around. We’ve got an aura trace on one of them, we’ve got an idea about the other. Virtues have narrowed the field and Mermista has a track on that bike…”

Bow nodded, “You want to charge in?”

Catra shrugged, “We could wander round this country for months. Let’s try flushing them out, see what we get.,” she cracked a grin, “Not like the universe can throw that many twists at us after we just met  _ HORDAK _ can it?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, how was THAT!
> 
> May have taken a liberty here, but it was in my brain and wanted to throw this in the mix. We've got CAMEOS UP THE YING YANG.
> 
> Also, Catra maybe changing her rather dogmatic views!
> 
> As ever - comment with your views, let me know if this worked, was too goofy or it felt RIGHT. (It felt... right to me. Layering on th change, the potential for cross-culture... exchanges ;) )


	11. All good things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A plan, a hunt and a chase.
> 
> We arrive at the point of no return..

“And… we’re all just _ok_ with this?”

They were back on a plane - Lonnie had driven them to an airfield not far from Dryl, after having called Mermista to arrange transportation. Mermista was not present; rather she was dialed in on Lonnie’s laptop. For once, the stoic Angel looked _faintly_ rattled. Catra wasn’t feeling particularly _stable_ herself but she put on a wry mask and a grin.

“You had her under observation and _didn’t notice_ , Mermista,” she drawled. The angel on the other end of the video conference made an _uuuuuuuugh_ sound and raised clenched fists.

“Catra, I swear to _Mara_ …”

“Ah ah ah…. _My_ task. _My_ decision. And…. _my_ responsibility,” Catra gave Mermista a mollifying smile, to reassure the girl. Then hit her again, “Still raises the question about _why_ we didn’t notice _a demon prince_ on Earth for nearly THREE years.”

Mermista huffed through her nose and glared into the camera, “Tech is _weird_ . And this… it has _never_ happened before…”

Catra held up a finger as she reclined in the plus leather of the airplane’s seat, “That you _know_ of. This just shows that there’s new avenues that… well _no one_ considered,” she adjusted herself and sipped at the tiny espresso cup the air hostess - _the same one_ \- had provided for her. It was like a transcendent experience every time…

Across from her, Bow leaned into the frame and smiled at Mermista, “Look at it this way - now you have a new avenue to investigate alternative demon incursions! AND that means less chance of someone like Catra turning up.”

The Dominion spluttered and glared at Bow, “HEY!”

“What, I’m selling the benefits,” he grinned at her and she gave a half hearted kick in his direction, the space being too wide, “Anyway, it’s _Catra_ who has to speak to the people upstairs.”

Mermista rubbed at her temples, the ringlets of her hair jostling as she did so, “This is just…. Why didn’t you level the place? I thought that’s what you _did?_ ”

Catra shrugged, “Um, you said _not_ to.”

“YOU OUTRANK ME! Like…. By several orders of magnitude! Like I could stop you!”

The Dominion blinked and snorted, “Wait, you _wanted_ me to turn a small part of this continent into beaten glass that will grow no crops nor spawn new life unto twelve generations?”

“Well, _no_ …. But DEMON PRINCE! Demon Prince CONSORTING with a tech genius! Likely to, like, like…. Blow up stuff!” Mermista seemed more frantic that Catra had seen her _to date_. She sighed and ran a hand through her hair, but it was Frosta who leaned around from her chair to look back at the laptop on the table.

“They were kinda cute. In a sort of… weird way?”

Mermista sagged, “Do I even want to _know_?”

Bow shrugged, “Probably not. But I can tell you that it’s _real_ . He isn’t _using_ her. She’s not using him. And for the record I can also tell they will fight tooth and _nail_ for each other. If we go hard, it’s…” he winced and Catra continued.

“We go in, we need Powers, we may need a Seraphim. Hordak was never a pushover. I tangled with him _once_ . Just beat him back, but it levelled Troy and Ithink we knocked Phobos into tiny pieces around Mars. So, and I will say this to Angella, you want us to take him… it’s going to have collateral. I CAN take him. But, yeah. I will refer back to my original point: _Beaten. Glass.”_

“I don’t know if I like _sassy_ you,” grumbled Mermista, then she huffed, “ _Fine_ . So, what do we do, Ms, _This is My Choice_.”

Catra shrugged, “Watch them. I suggest _you_ make an approach. Get some sort of… agreement in place. He knows he’s vulnerable, even as powerful as he is. AAAnd it doesn’t look like he’s on good terms with the other Infernal Powers. I think he… abdicated. We’ll need to check that.”

“Still… weird.”

“Yes. Yes it is,” Catra rubbed her eyes, then leaned over to the tiny side-table next to her seat to pluck her espresso cup again, “I’ll report to Angella and the rest when we get to… wherever we’re going. Where are we going?”

Mermista sighed and rolled her eyes, “Didn’t Lonnie tell you?”

“Yes, but I didn’t listen. Because I was _having a moment_ about the demon prince. This is now _three_ demons that we didn’t spot AT ALL, Mermista. So excuse my disinterest in geography.”

Catra was being snippy, but she was veering between several emotional states - laconic disinterest, mild panic and a sense of _why don’t we just Armageddon them and let Mara sort it out._ She sipped at the espresso and forced her shoulders to relax. She saw, out of the corner of her eye,as Lonnie shook her head in faint frustration. Mermista, on screen grunted and the view flicked to a screenshot of google earth.

“Brightmoon - it’s a fairly substantial tow, some recent urban developments, up and coming investment and some ummm… weird colour coding.”

The screen flipped to show a more panoramic shot of the town. It was, basically, if you took the word _elegant_ and _luxury_ and turned it into civic planning. Catra finished her espresso and peered at the screen, “That’s a lot of pastel.”

Mermista appeared back on the screen and nodded, “Used to be an old industrial town nearby. Bad rep, high crime rates, poverty _through the roof_ . Huge real-estate conglomerate bulldozed the place, Brightmoon got built up and gentrified and _tadaaa_ sudden flock of the wealthy to this little oasis in the woods. National parks, lakes, the whole thing. It’s not _quite_ a resort town, but damn near close. Like Lake Tahoe, but with actual economy and business year round.”

Lonnie stretched and winced as her back popped, “What are a pair of demons doing in a town that is basically _just_ suburbs?”

Frosta shrugged, “These demons don’t seem to have _any_ plan. One swipes a hard drive with some sort of super AI in it and then doesn’t use it? Another makes a whole town go postal then bugs out?”

The images flowed in Catra’s head and she narrowed her eyes, “One of them at least goes in for retribution. Or some weird form of justice. Look at the pattern in the Ottoman region; and Europe; _and_ here. Revolution, fighting against authority, against injustice… real or perceived.”

The group fell silent and Frosta adjusted herself in her seat, “Said it before - sounds kinda… heroic.”

Catra nodded slowly, “And there’s the temptation: fighting for _freedom_ . For _justice_ . But how far do you go? When do you stop? Once you’ve captured the opposition’s leaders? Once you’ve executed them? Once you’ve rounded all the naysayers up, those who just _don’t understand_ ?” she eyed the younger angel, “The whole impact of a demon’s influence is, sometimes, a good idea. Good _intent_ . But demons don’t give you perception of when to stop. And often they don’t _care._ A flame cares not for what it burns, only that it does. The demons _test_ … and the strength has to come from the individual being tested.”

Bow sighed, “Kind of the opposite problem we have - too hands off, not moderating _enough_ ?” Catra shot him a look and he held his hands up, “Hey, just speaking my mind. Demons offer you an _easy_ option - the quick way. The indulgent way. The most immediately satisfying.”

Frosta shrugged, “So what’s satisfying about suburbs?”

The Dominion leaned back and sighed, “No idea. But a lot of humans, with comfortable lives? There’ll be resentment in there somewhere. Boredom. _Opportunity._ Mermista, what was the nature of the more recent reports?”

She knew, off hand, but the scrolls had been _very_ broad brush. She watched as the Archangel huffed on screen and then shrugged, “Union protests at some haulage companies outside the city… got violent. Reports of animal attacks, weird animal attacks, at a golf club… uhhh _bikers_ invading a family picnic outing for one of the banks… it’s all like… relatively benign. Just irritants.”

Catra nodded and leaned back, “Preamble, I’m sure. If we study the other areas, you’ll note a string of minor events followed by a larger blow-out. As if the demon builds up pressure then lets it all go.”

The others lapsed into silence again. Then a distant voice cut through the laptop screen.

_“Mermistaaaaaaaa? My Angel? Where for art thou, my muse? My FLAME! My INSPIRATION FOR ADVEN-CHAAAA!”_

The Archangel went rigid and stared at the camera. Catra cracked an eye open and grinned, her golden orb fixed on the laptop screen, “Muse, huh?”

“ _Shut up._ Like, seriously,”

“His angel, huh?” deadpanned Bow. He glanced down at the heart embedded in the armour of his torso (He’d decided to go full Old-Cupid for a while, clearly needing the extra layer). Mermista scowled, but she had a faint twitch at the corner of her mouth.

“Screw all of you.”

Frosta cackled, “Nah, you’d rather sc-”

“OK! I will be in Brightmoon in seven hours! Don’t blow it up! Lonnie… we’ve got some space reserved, last minute. I’ve texted you the address!” Mermista sprinted through the sentences, glared at Frosta, then cut the connection. Bow blinked and grinned at the pulsing heart in his chest and shook his head.

“Gotta love it.”

Catra sighed, then stood, “So, she’s coming to meet us there? When do we land?”

“A couple hours. We’re closer to, so it’ll take her longer,” Lonnie fished her phone out and nodded, “Nice… little home-base setup. So we can do Operation: The Hell They Up To.”

The Dominion tipped her tiny cup and gestured to Lonnie, “Want a top up?”

The Seer shook her head and Catra ambled to the curtain where she knew the coffee was stored. She pushed past the curtain and began to root around the neat containers. It’d been a while since she’d made Kavfeh herself, but she was confident.

“Can I help you?” the voice was a purr and Catra straightened to find the air-hostess incredibly close behind her. The woman was slightly shorter than catra, with mouse-brown hair and green eyes that had a certain wry amusement in there, “Y’know you can ask for a coffee… otherwise what am I here for?”

Catra blinked in surprise. The woman was very much inside Catra’s personal bubble and she wasn’t sure what to do about it. Humans didn’t _tend_ to zero in on angels - even disguised, they had a fairly powerful aura that made people either ignore them out of survival instincts kicking in, or downright fawn over them…

Oh.

The Dominion swallowed as the hostess reached around, dangerously close, and plucked the coffee pod from a drawer behind Catra. Green eyes met hers, “I take it you like it… hot?”

It had been _literal centuries_ since someone had tried this. It had been amusing then, in some Agora in Boetia somewhere. A drunken actor, deep into his cups, had propositioned her, stated she was more lovely than the finest sculptures of _Aphrodite_ . The way he’d leaned over her as she sat, contemplating the bustle of life, was _very_ similar to how this woman was now smiling at her from inches away.

“Uhm, well… I find it brings out the taste better warm?”

The girl licked her lips, “Oh yes….” she reached past Catra again, but paused to whisper into her ear, “So, why no call?”

She swallowed, suddenly strangely uncomfortable. Why did she feel… guilty? Ashamed? Was it just that she’d been so long without companionship, she felt embarrassed? “Call?” she managed to squeak out.

The girl pulled back and pouted, “I don’t normally just _give out_ my number to clients, if that’s what you thought…”

 _The number! Yes! In her phone._ Catra fumbled for the device, then held it up and managed a slightly sheepish grin, “Still, um, got it. Just been _very_ busy.”

The girl’s smile was small but genuine, “That’s good. Maybe you can tell me all about your work over _breakfast_?”

Ruined townsfolk, fanatical desert zealots and a legitimate demon prince were within Catra’s remit and experience. This…

This was so far off her map there were sketches of dragons in the margins. She blinked and inhaled. The woman _smelled_ amazing - floral, but with a hint of spice to her. Catra’s breath caught and she swallowed again. She could imagine Adora laughing at her over such an awkward exchange.

Except Adora had never laughed at that sort of exchange - one of the few things she didn’t find overtly amusing. She’d always just looked _stiff_. Smiling, yes. But stiff any time some human or angel tried to proposition her (Which were two fields-apart experiences, it had to be said).

Probably because she was worried. Adora had always worried, always been _protective_ . Never _needed_ to be, but had always had her back. Of course, Catra’d normally dismissed the approaches - it had never appealed. She felt she had her companion in angelic terms - Adora, her staunch and loyal friend. With mortals it was an occasional amusement, but that was all.

Catra blinked and realised she felt suddenly queasy, which was an entirely new and unpleasant feeling. The girl loomed in her vision but for some reason the appeal had drifted, diminished somewhat. She could see her beauty, her sheer vivaciousness. But it was as if Catra’d let out a breath.

She was still getting used to these emotions, these _feelings_. Perhaps barrelling in wasn’t the best way forward; especially after she’d lectured Frosta about doing likewise. She managed a smile and leaned back faintly, her thoughts marshalling as she reasserted herself, even a little.

“Bold of you,” she managed, her voice slightly less strangled. The girl smirked.

“Don’t get the opportunity often. Old guys try it all the time. And… you seem different. I’d like to find out _how_ different.”

Catra kept her composure, “Oh really? Um,”

The girl’s smile broadened, “I can be very flexible, y’know?” She tapped the phone in Catra’s hand, “I best see your friends are ok. We’ve been back here a _while_. Would hate to get them gossiping. But… call me. I’ll be in town a while.”

She leaned forwards and brushed her lips against Catra’s cheek, then, just like that, was gone. Catra glanced down and realised there was a fresh cup of coffee next to her - the hostess had made it whilst maintaining complete eye contact with her. She swallowed and shook her head, as fog misted her thoughts.

She returned to her seat and managed to not stare at the hostess as she withdrew. Bow eyed her strangely as she sat, then shrugged. Frosta was engrossed in her game and just ignored her. Lonnie, however leaned forwards and rested elbows on knees, “You ok there?”

Catra nursed her coffee and stared into it. The queasiness hadn’t abated. She felt excited, stimulated… but also sick, “I… do not know. I…”

“Green eyes there just gave you the heavy come on, huh?” Lonnie mused. Catra blinked and the Seer shrugged, “Girl’s been giving you eyes all flight. Don’t get me wrong, you’re a looker, can’t blame her. But be careful, ‘k? We break easy, y’know? Body and soul.”

That made Catra wince, “I know. I’ve had people fall for me. It never… ended well. It’s why I avoided it. But… still. Attraction… is a universal constant.”

Lonnie snorted and shrugged, “So, what’s the issue?”

The Dominion squinted and sipped at her coffee, “It feels… wrong.”

“Maybe it’s nerves?”

“Nerves?”

Lonnie gestured at her, “Been a while since you’ve had to deal with this plane, right? Could just be you’re experiencing the intensity and it’s all off. Could be butterflies and new love stuff?”

Catra shrugged, uncomfortable. She watched as the girl came back out and did the rounds, then paused next to Catra. The Dominion swallowed again, then stood abruptly and shot to the rear of the plane, where she promptly locked herself in one of the toilets. She drew breaths and clutched at her head. The queasiness didn’t abate. That roiling… shame?

_Guilt?_

Why was she feeling _guilt_?

She sagged back against the rear of the stall and closed her eyes. Earth was weird. Interesting, but _weird_ . The sooner she dealt with the demons, the sooner she could get back to her desk and her scrolls. Perhaps this whole _expedition_ had been a bad idea. This was just the universe illustrating why she should have been _content_.

But she couldn’t deny the interesting emotional spikes, the sudden pull. It was curious to flirt, to engage. The girl was… a mortal. A blink of an eye to someone like her. But to be _seen_ again like that, she couldn’t help but feel flattered.

How long since someone had looked at her that way? Not as a _function_ or a _leader_ . But as a being? Not including Bow, of course - fondness was his thing, not that deep-searing stare. Those Green eyes came close, but it still _lacked_ something in her mind. A simulacra of the _real_ thing.

Her mind drifted to sandy shores and blue eyes. A constant companion, a friend who _saw_ her.

She could help the strange noise that crawled from her throat, a choking, sudden gurgle. She blinked and touched at her cheeks. They were… wet? Why?

Catra dabbed at her face and sighed, then shook herself. She stood and pushed open the toilet door and stepped back out. She saw Bow lift his head to peer at her, his expression clouded. She offered him a shrug and slumped back down

“You ok over there?” he murmured. Lonnie had settled back down in her seat and appeared to be asleep. Catra envied her for a moment, then looked at Bow.

“Just… disorientated I think. Had a bit of an emotional rush. Probably the Hordak situation.”

“Hmmm.. And not the pretty mortal who wants to jump you?”

She looked away, “You don’t sound like you’d approve,” her voice was sullen. He shrugged and tapped the heart.

“I don’t feel anything. Between you and her, I mean. She’s broadcasting _lust_ but you… it’s strange, Catra. But, if you want to follow through, if it might help… but I don’t know if it will.”

Catra felt suddenly irritated and turned to glare at him, “So what then?”

He met her gaze, impassive, “Then nothing? Not my business. Just… telling you how it is. I’ve told you there’s _something_ missing for you, that it _is_ out there. But it isn’t her.”

The Dominion slumped and turned her face to stare out of the window, “We won’t be here long Bow. It’s the world…. Pressing in. Just need to get a handle on things. Perhaps what I need is a dalliance, a moment in time. And then we can go home.”

She heard him grunt, unconvinced, then fall silent. She watched as the clouds streamed by. Her thoughts drifted to the girl, to the world around them. But no matter how she ran through it in her head, it still felt _lacking_ . Yes there was an intensity, a certain flattery but… it wasn’t _there_.

Wordlessly she pulled out her phone and thumbed through to the contacts. She stared at the sole number stored within, her finger hovering between _message_ and _delete_. She stared at it and felt a strange sense of disassociation, as if she were regarding it from far away. It made her, for some reason, deeply uneasy. With a hiss, she switched the device off and pocketed it

Disgruntled, she slipped into a doze.

\----------------------

A few hours later, after they’d landed and been given _another_ car at the Brightmoon airport, they found themselves in an office building, several floors up. The floor itself was empty, not even any desks; the open plan stretching around them like a bleak, carpeted void, from one set of floor-to-ceiling windows to the other. Pillars were scattered about, part of the building infrastructure, the only break being the central “core” where the elevators sat, along with access stairs.

Catra had been mildly impressed when they’d pulled up - the building had rivalled the size of ancient Churches and Temples and looked faintly like the E-Tech building - sloping glass and steel. The outside was a pleasant pedestrian area, but she hadn’t had time to really study it.

A few porters were shuffling in from the elevator with some folding tables and a stack of computers. Catra and Bow watched, bemused, as Lonnie directed the men to set up the tables, then began to assemble the computers herself. Catra turned as the lift _dinged_ again and frowned as another batch of humans emerged.

They were a mixed bag, mostly young and energetic. Their excitement rolled off them in waves. As a group, they all froze when they noticed Catra. She smirked as they all huddled _slightly_ closer together.

“Alright why the sudden stop?” came the familiar drawl of Mermista’s voice from behind the crowd. She skirted around them and nodded at Catra, “Oh, yeah. _Her_. Coven Or Going, meet Dominion Catra. Catra, meet Coven Or Going.”

Catra arched an eyebrow and cocked her head, “Uh, what? Are they s acollective?”

Mermista sagged and stared at the ceiling, “They are. A. COVEN. LONNIE! Didn’t you explain this to her?”

“She snores like a buzz saw… and I don’t want to know what happens when you _startle_ a Dominion awake, ok?” offered Lonnie from behind a tangle of cables. Mermista grumbled and Catra just smirked.

One of the humans peered at Catra and frowned, then sniffed, “She, uh… she doesn’t look like some sort of _all mighty angel_. More like a Victoria’s Secret model!” he chuckled and fist bumped the other guy next to him. Although the recipient looked less than enthused.

Catra zeroed her expression in on the man. He was cocky looking, steel, square spectacles on a face that was well defined. Brown hair slicked into a parting and a rugby-top and jeans getup, “And you are?” she asked, lazily.

Something in her tone made the other Coven members take a few steps away from the man. He didn’t appear to notice. Instead he straightened and tapped a sigil on his chest. Catra noticed Mermista was hiding a faint smirk on her face. The man tilted his head.

“Jackson, Magi of the Seventh Sigil. Strongest Wizard on the East Coast, majored in Astrophysics. Y’know, so I know about the world.”

Catra smiled and stepped forwards. Her wings suddenly unfolded and spread _wide_ with a snap. She stepped to within a few feet and let her features shift into her true form - feline ears, the faint cat-like set to her face, her eyes slitting to their normal set. Her tail swished behind her and she ran a hand through her towseled, brown-grey hair. She cocked her head, “Impressive titles. I’d rattle mine off but I get the impression they’d be wasted,” she looked over at Mermista, “Where’d you find this one?”

She shrugged, “Credit to him, he found us. He’s not bad. Not the _strongest_. But he knows computer systems almost as well as Lonnie and can whip up some decent banishing spells. Better to have him on the team, y’know?”

Catra gave an unamused shrug, “Not really,” she looked back at Jackson, who had a frown of pure consternation on his face, “You reek of pride. That means you’re a weak link. Get out.”

He blinked, then clutched at the sigil on his chest, “I have a major seal! I, Jackson, Magi, refute you, you cannot….”

Catra peered at the sigil, then snorted and glanced at Mermista, “You gave him that, I assume?”

She actually smiled and nodded. Jackson looked smug, “Yeah, I impressed Mermista - she recognises _talent_ . And frankly, she _knows_ she needs me, no choice really. So, yeah, full protection from influences. Angelic _and_ demonic.”

The Dominion nodded solemnly. Then she reached out and plucked the sigil from his chest. He yelped in surprise and stared as she studied the badge, “Y’know this says ‘idiot’ in Enochian, right?”

“W...what? You… you can’t touch… it…”

“Yeah, _nope_ . Stuff CAN work on Archangels but you need oooo… three more Magi, probably. And even then, you better be _good_ . Me?” she leaned into his personal space, “I’m out of your _league_ , monkey. You’re lucky I’m on your side. A demon would be spending some _quality_ time with you for awhile if you pull this crap on them. They don’t _like_ arrogance. Not much a fan of it myself, but I draw the line at unsanctioned violence. Now… get. Out.”

Jackson blinked and Catra added some extra _oomph_ to her aura. The “Magi of the Seventh Sigil” promptly fled and almost fell into the elevator. Catra looked at the rest of the Coven and shrugged. Mermista clapped her hands, “Ok kids. That was a _practical_ lesson in etiquette. Set up, get your gear squared and, like, let’s get this show on the road.”

The magi scattered and began to unpack their various devices and accessories. Catra walked over to Mermista’s side and frowned at her, “What was that about?”

“Oh he’s been an _ass_ for ages. It was more a timing thing - was gonna let him go anyway, severance package… but this seemed like too good an opportunity.”

Catra snorted, “Merciless is the sea. Fickle in her whims.”

Mermista shrugged, “Balance in all things.”

“Not worried he’s going to, what, blow your cover or whatever?” mused Catra, her eyes on the elevator. The former Sea-goddess shook her head.

“Archangel in the lobby. Memory hex, we’ll get him home. He’ll be a magi, but won’t really recall _where_ we are. And we’ve also got an NDA. Even mages are scared of lawyers.”

“Sure you’re not a demon,” chuckled Catra, “‘Cos that’s just… cruel. _Lawyers_.”

“Demons _wish_ they were as creative as me,” smirked Mermista. She froze as a voice boomed from the stairwell behind her.

 _“THERE YOU ARE! I HAVE BROUGHT FRAGRANT ROSES! Also, your bags._ ”

Catra leaned round the girl and arched an eyebrow at the sight of a man in a bandana and an open-chest jacket staggered through the fire-escape door. He had a bouquet in one hand and a _large_ selection of bags in the other. The Dominion glanced at Mermista, who was staring dead ahead, “I told you to wait in the car.”

“Being apart from you was _torture_ akin to the deepest abyss of the _Mariana trench!_ I longed for your sweet voice, your angelic siren song, to sooth my wounded breast.”

“Say breast again and you’re going out the window,” growled Mermista. Catra took a step away and glanced at Bow. The Cherub was staring at the heart on his chest which was glowing _brightly_. He gave her a confused shrug and gestured vaguely at the pair. Mermista glared at the man at the stairwell, then turned to Lonnie, “You got this?”

The Seer glanced over, noticed the man and _laughed_ , “Yeah, ma’am. Got this. You go deal with Seahawk.”

Mermista nodded at Catra, then swivelled and marched over to the man-known-as-Seahawk. Catra recognised him now, from the strange video. She couldn’t help but chuckle as Mermista dragged the moustachioed man into the Elevator, before she stabbed at a floor button as if it had personally wronged her. She turned back to the hubbub of activity and saw a small beehive of activity. Lonnie stepped away from the workstation she had assembled then moved to an open patch of floor, where she sketched out a circle with duct tape. The Seer then beckoned Catra over and pointed down, “Wanna set the scroll here?”

Catra paused and glanced at Lonnie. The Seer seemed to be acting nonchalant but was looking _all over_ as if not wanting to appear to care. The Dominion rolled her eyes, thoroughly _done_ with confusing human emotions. She unfurled the scroll and laid it down. Lonne nodded, satisfied, then turned to the other magi, “Alright guys, come see something _awesome_.”

The other humans gathered close and watched as Lonnie muttered a few words. She arranged a few items that the Magi had brought with them around the circle, then stepped back. There was a brief shimmer, then Kyle appeared in the middle. He smiled and waved, _“HEY Lonnie!”_

Lonnie grinned and ran a hand through her dreadlocks, “‘Sup, Coel Hen? Where’s Rog?”

“Mana break. Oh and… checking in with Juliet. My Lady Catra.”

Catra nodded. That reminded her - she needed to submit an actual report on _Hordak_. She wasn’t looking forward to that. Her attention returned to the room and she realised the magi had set up a number of other circles and computer stations. Multi-monitors that seemed to show video feeds; shimmering sigils atop maps laid on the floor; strange boards covered in letters laid out on a clear desk, crystal pendulums hanging over them.

It reminded her of the War Rooms of the fall - maps and messengers; planners and planar scourerers. But on a smaller scale. She smiled faintly - it _was_ a war room. She silently thanked Mermista. This _would_ help. Catra turned back to the circle, where Jyle was updating the magi on some more recent aspects of demonic activity.

“...particular attention to, uh, this old district _here_. We’ve noticed a spike in violent behaviours from workers there, criminal acts and… other strangeness.”

Catra wandered away, letting the Magi be brought up to speed by Lonnie and Kyle. The pair bounced off each other, finishing each other’s sentences. It was rather endearing to see and Catra felt a strange pang in her chest. Some reflex made her pull out her phone and she opened it. She thumbed to the contacts again and stared at the number. With a sigh, she pocketed the phone again.

She was beginning to know what the feeling was - it vanished when she spoke to others, engaged them in _banter_ . But it was never _quite_ gone.

Loneliness.

She huffed to herself and pushed the thought away. She was a _Dominion_ . She had _purpose_. These feelings were temporary, a test of her whilst she endured this plane. She would consider things once the work was done.

A moment later she had a blank scroll plucked from her satchel and, with a wave, etched her thoughts against the ethereal parchment. Details, updates, information. Hordak and Emily. The list of evidence of demonic activity; advice and guidance on the ways to approach things next. Whilst she was no Seraphim, all of the Golden Throne would defer to a Dominion in the moment. Only those in the Seraphim could counter her and even then, they tended to do so _only_ after validating things themselves. Such was the fear of overreaction, or of Pride dominating their decisions.

Oh, she’d catch all manner of criticism, she was sure. Maybe even some would doubt her focus. But she would be _heard_.

With another wave, the scroll flashed away, headed for the Hall of Prayer to be filed and sorted and then _absorbed_ by Angella in her usual, methodical way. She COULD have probably transmuted it via Kyle but the slight delay would afford her time to get started on the _hunt_ . And also to maybe think up a decent bevvy of reasons for _why she let a demon prince settle down with some sort of familial arrangement_.

She walked back to the group and noticed the magi were now looking her way. She saw Bow nod vaguely at her and rolled her shoulders. _Showtime_ , as she’d heard Frosta mutter vaguely once on the flight.

“Good day, all. To reiterate what I told our _former_ colleague - I am Dominion Catra. I’ll dispense with the honorifics as I believe they aren’t necessary to impress upon you the importance of our task. Currently, we have two demons loose in the local area. Or so we believe. This is of concern because they have operated for decades without arousing suspicion. Neither from the Earthly Chorus or, indeed, from on High,” the magi exchanged worried looks, “Our goal is simple - track them, identify them and then… deal with them. That last part will be down to _me_.”

The humans looked relieved and Catra couldn’t help but smirk. Lonnie nodded and cocked her head in silent question. Catra was getting better at reading the woman and gestured for her to step in. The dreadlocked girl turned to face the Magi, “Y’all have dealt with various summonings and tracking spells. We’ve worked together before, so we know each others strengths and weaknesses. So you know, we have both physical descriptions of the bike one demon is using, as well as an Aura trace of the second. In addition, we have….”

Catra listened as Lonnie gave a more _logistical_ briefing and assigned the magi around the room - to computers, tracing circles, fortune decks and so on. All told, there were twelve humans, not including Lonnie. As they spaced out, a monitor flickered and a voice practically _exploded_ from it.

“ _AHHH! IT WORKED! HELLO! Oh, that’s… is that a third degree alternative planar tracing setup? Oooh your tech needs some optimising, I can see at least three ways to completely…”_

Catra stepped around to the computer and blinked, “ _Emily_?”

“ _OH! Hello Catra! I assumed by the fact we aren’t currently being assaulted by people with wings that you aren’t going to purge us?”_ the girl at the other end looked deadly serious, her face faintly worried. Catra rolled her eyes.

“I said I wouldn’t. I have had to report it but… I will ensure your security. As long as _Hordak_ doesn’t overstep his bounds.”

Another monitor blinked on and a skull-white face with red eyes glared out, “ _Be assured, Dominion, that is furthest from my mind. To that end, Entrapta and I will endeavour to express our good-intent via the provision of assistance to your… laughable efforts thus far.”_

“You are doing a _wonderful_ job of keeping me on your side, Hordak.”

_“Being friends was never part of our arrangement, Catr-RA. As a sign of good faith, Entrapta and I have interfaced with Triton’s devices to better optimise your local access to various public electronic surveillance systems, as well as a direct line to emergency calls and various governmental communication channels. You are welcome.”_

“Oh you have _got_ to be kidding me,” Catra glanced over her shoulder, to where Mermista had re-emerged from the lift. Seahawk wasn’t with her, but she had what _looked_ like a faint mark on her neck, just under her jaw. In the shape of...lips? Catra frowned and dismissed it. She just gestured at the computers vaguely.

“They’re _helping_. Apparently.”

The Archangel walked over, then slumped into a folding chair and lolled her head back, “I need a _drink_.”

 _“I’d offer one, but the matter transfer divide tends to… spread things around,”_ offered Emily from the monitor. Mermista waved a hand without looking up. Catra folded her arms and studied the hubbub of activity.

“So, uh… now what?”

Hordak’s face actually looked amused for a moment, “ _Now, you wait._ ”

\-----

It’d been a day. The Magi worked in shifts, checking summoning circle;s, chanting focusing mantras and checking in with Kyle and Rogelio as the pair sifted through their own scrolls. Lonnie spent most of her time near the Scroll circle, chatting with the pair and even dozed off briefly next to it. Bow had brought a blanket over to cover her, part of the stash the Magi had lugged in with them, along with a few camp-beds.

Catra, for her part, just paced. She felt she should be doing _something_ , but the number of recent activities made it tricky to decide _what_ to do. Bow had advised her to just let the group around them work the information. Now they had a central locale, they could check for more obvious patterns or traces. But it just meant Catra was zoned out completely with boredom.

She had the phone out again and was staring at the number, when a voice startled her. She pressed _dial_ by mistake and dropped the phone. She turned and saw one of the magi cringe back and softened her expression, “You startled me, don’t worry.”

“Can we… do that?” asked the young man with a blink. Catra gestured to herself with an amused smile.

“Apparently so. I’ll be right there,” she bent down and picked the phone up, only to hear a muffled _hello?_ She froze and swallowed, “Um, sorry, just… dialled. BYE.”

The line cut out and Catra stared at the phone. She didn’t know _what_ to make of that, so just pushed it away in her head and tried to force her shoulders to relax. She switched the device off, just to be sure, then pocketed it.

The group of magi looked around as she approached. Lonnie glanced up from the table they’d gathered around, a laptop revealing Hordak’s face set atop it, next to a map. He glared at her. Or just looked, she couldn’t tell, “We appear to have identified a pattern.”

“Enlighten me,” she murmured, eyes focused on the urban sprawl of the map.

_“There appears to be a rising labour movement in the city; a holdover from when the strangely named Freight Zone was in operation - a large haulage yard and transit terminal, since downsized. A result of that was a mass buyout of land at cut-price rates. This has led to long standing resentment of low-skilled workers priced out of property into rentals, only for their former homes to skyrocket in price.”_

Catra nodded slowly, “Ok… so like in Europe - a fermenting sense of anger. Ripe for a demon to nudge.”

Hordak blinked, “ _Crude, but effective. In addition, there are several youth movements that frequent the industrialised outskirts. Parties known as raves. Activities known as clubbing, despite any evidence of blunt force trauma. Criminal activity, although low level.”_

Bow stroked his chin, “So, what about activity? Still sounds human focused.”

Hordak glared again, “ _Sightings of unearthly elements, rumours of hauntings in the industrial site. Several violent assaults on individuals Almost an increase in vandalism across the city limits. Several break ins at middle tier technology firms, all unexplained due to lack of damage or easy to note entry or egress methods.”_

The group exchange glances and Frosta, who’d been mostly quiet, piped up, “Teleporting?”

_“That would appear to be the logical conclusion. This matches the early stages of previous consolidated incidents. The statistical likelihood is that the city will experience civil unrest over the next few months, culminating in a protest movement. The end result will likely be several million dollars of local property damage, impacts to the localised political landscape and an increased likelihood of injury and fatalities across the city due to clashes.”_

Catra rubbed her eyes, “So… the industrial park? Old train yard or something?” she looked around the room, “Does that coincide with everything else?”

A young woman nodded and brushed her hair back, “We’ve noticed an increase in negative energies around the warehousing district. It’s outside the main city limits, but the Aura trace goes there.”

Another Magi raised their hand, “Plus we have police descriptions of the motorbike - it has been observed running red lights, violating speed restrictions and… uh the rider flipped off an officer.”

“Any description of the rider?” pressed Catra. The magi all shook their heads, “Eh, doesn’t matter. But be good to know what they look like _human_. Anything else?” The group shook their heads, “Alright then. Guess I need to go pay the place a visit.”

She nodded to Hordak and smiled at the group. Frosta made to follow her as Bow fell in next to her, but Catra paused. Frosta glared, “What?”

“I need to know you’re _ready_ for this.”

The diminutive angel puffed up her chest and nodded, “Gotta take the plunge, right?”

Bow smiled and then took a breath, “We’re doing this?”

Catra nodded, “We’re doing this,” she looked at the others, “Contact us if new data arises or… you detect _anything_ out of the ordinary. Mermista?”

The Archangel looked up from her phone and frowned, “Uhhh.. be careful? Also, Seahawk is filming down there… sent him in case. He _attracts_ trouble. So, uh, we’ll monitor his feed too.”

 _“Insufferable mortal,”_ grumbled Hordak.

Catra set her shoulders and stepped into the elevator. She watched as Lonnie sent her a salute from across the room and nodded in return. The trio of angels descended in silence, then stepped into the lobby. It was late afternoon and people were leaving for the day. The rest of the building was occupied by office workers and there was a small crowd of suits pushing their way through the turnstiles out of the office.

They exited slowly into the cool evening air and Catra paused, “Bow…. um… you going to drive?” Frosta snorted and waved a hand.

“Yeah, let’s not… test that. Your approach _might_ work on iranian backroads. American road traffic is less _flexible_.”

They moved towards the town car Mermista had provided and clambered in. The drive through the city was slow, rush hour traffic and the predominance of pedestrianised zones slowing the flow to _steady_ rather than _murderously slow_. Skyscrapers gave way to modern townhouses, which then gave way to suburbs and then forest. They rattled through a small space of greenery, which gave way to fences off warehouses and a more industrial, abandoned look.

Frosta found a deserted parking lot and pulled into it and killed the engine. She turned in her seat to look at Catra, “Now what?”

She peered out of the window and her ears flicked, “Not sure... “

“What, can’t smell any sulphur?” joked the Dverge. Catra snorted.

“No, just… this place is large. Like the Shipping place back in the Middle East.”

“And no handy security guards,” mused Bow, “huh, maybe… we find one of those clubs? Rave sites?”

Frosta was already on her phone, calling up Lonnie for a check. Catra took the opportunity to step out of the car and inhaled. The street lights weren’t on yet and the sun hadn’t fully set, so there wa a pleasing calmness and gloom to the air. She surveyed the area - old warehouses, some freight cranes silhouetted over near the forest edge. The road curved away and split off as more warehouses and yards spread out.

Bow sidled up beside her, “Nervous?”

She shrugged, “Not yet. Might not find anything. They could’ve moved on. Or they aren’t _here_.”

Bow leaned back against the car, “So you’ve enjoyed it… down here?”

She chuckled, “You say it like it’s a done thing?”

“Well, yeah. It’s you. Bang, demon down, off we go. You feel a bit… better?”

Catra scratched her arm through the white of her suit blazer, “I guess… I feel _different_ that’s for sure.”

Bow gave her a knowing look, “Want to indulge a bit before going back?” he smirked as she shifted uncomfortably, “Ok, that was unfair…. But something has you irked. I can tell..”

“ _Irked?_ Who even SAYS that?”

“Me. I say it. You’re _irked_. Frustrated.”

She sagged, “Just… not sure how I _feel_.”

“Air girl?”

“Sort of? But… not really. That’s a side… I don’t even _know_ Bow. I thought I wanted a MISSION. Now… I don’t know _what_ I’m missing. I thought for a moment, _maybe_ it was… a connection. But that felt _wrong_ for some reason.”

“Maybe it is… just she isn’t the _right_ one?”

The car window rolled down, “Uh guys, you want to see this…” Frosta held up the phone. It showed a video feed of Seahawk trying to interview a series of bikes outside what looked like a warehouse, but with a neon sign above the wide doors. The man seemed to be getting on with the strange collection of drunken, leather clad men.

Catra frowned and shrugged, “Great. Idiot with moustache meets idiots with beer guys. What am I looking at?”

Frosta grunted and paused the stream, then zoomed it in. In the background of the frame was a row of motorcycles.

One of which had the barely visible word _“Swift Wind”_ etched on the side. Catra blinked, “where?”

She and Bow piled into the car, just as Frosta’s phone rang. She pressed it against her ear as she gunned the car back onto the road, then cursed as it slipped from her grip. Bow, sat in the front seat, grabbed at it and put it on speaker - he seemed to be adapting well to technology, Catra noted. Not a man to drop _his_ phone.

“Yeah?” the Cherub asked. Mermista’s voice came over the line.

_“Lonnie and your Virtue say there’s a spike of negative energy in a site nearby. Localised though. Also, Hordak… ugh… found reports of some sort of group meeting near there too? Like, timing couldn’t be more freaky.”_

Catra hissed, “So, maybe our demon friends are nudging people a bit. Frosta, make the mechanical carriage go faster.”

“I KNOW you KNOW this is called a CAR!” growled Frosta. But she pressed on the accelerator. They rattled over a crossing and some rail lines, then turned onto another road. Up ahead, Catra could make out the bulk of a warehouse, lit by neon signs.

And a fire.

Frosta groaned, “Not _AGAIN_.”

They piled out to find Seahawk and his camera crew backing away from a smoldering line of burning motorcycles, “Gentlemen! I explained! The _stunt_ is…”

Catra’s gaze zeroed in on something _odd_. The bikes were all aflame.

Except _one_.

 _Swift Wind_ sat there as if nothing strange was occurring. Some people had noticed and were taking photographs and whooping at Seahawk, asking him _how he did it_. Catra saw the large group of now-angry bikers advancing on the man. She looked at Frosta, “Go… save him. We might need you out here in case on of the Demons bolts, ok?”

The young angel looked at her, but just nodded, then made a bee-line for the near-panicked Seahawk.

Catra and Bow pushed to the front of the line that led into the dingy Warehouse. A bouncer stepped in front to bar their way, but Catra just waved a hand and the balding man blinked and stepped aside. They pushed past and into the wide open space.

It was _rammed_. A wall of noise hit them along with the smell of sweat and stale beer. Strobe lights lit up the room and Catra could make out scaffolding all around, which had been used to create additional “floors”. At the far end a DJ played against a strobing backdrop that flashed up images that made no sense. To Catra - Cats, dogs, dancing girls. The whole place was a bacchanal of emotions and stress and it thudded against her, like the sea against a cliff.

“This is _madness_ ,” she hissed. Bow nodded, clearly equally dazed.

“Like so much _lust_. But also… energy?” The pair pushed through the crowd and Bow looked at Catra. They didn’t need to even shout, their voices audible even at a whisper, “What are we looking for?”

Her mismatched eyes flicked through the mass of writhing, gyrating humans and she snarled, “Can’t really _sense_ anything.”

Bow nodded slowly, “Perfect camouflage… this _noise_ and… actual noise…”

“Why does no one care if the place burns down? There’s a FIRE outside!” she shook her head, “Monkeys, they’re all _mad_.”

Something caught her eye. She looked up at one of the scaffolds. It had velvet ropes around it, along with what looked like a bar and its own spiral staircase. A group of people were visible lounging around, having some sort of meeting. Catra narrowed her eyes and realised one of the figures was staring _right at her_.

She couldn’t make out details, but saw purple hair. She blinked and grabbed Bow, “Tech thief! THERE!”

He looked up “Where?” Catra glared at the spot - the figure had vanished.

“Dammit. She’s a teleporter… but why has no one notic-” something shoved into her and she stumbled. Catra spun and saw a clubber glare at her. Another shove from a different direction, followed by a snarled “WATCH IT!”

Bow sidled up to her, “Catra…”

She looked at the dancers. The ones nearest them were looking _antsy_ to say the least. Their jumping and gyrations were getting very very energetic. She stepped back as two stumbled past, lips locked. A third suddenly charged through the crowd with a _“get off my girlfr-”_ and they vanished into the flashing, white and black gloom in a flurry of fists. Around them more fights were breaking out,or impromptu dance offs, or sudden intense make-out sessions.

Catra flinched and yanked Bow back. There was a flash of black, glittering sparkles and a stave siced through the air where they’d been a moment before. They caught a glimpse of human features and purple hair, before the figure disappeared, either in a teleport or into the crowd itself. Catra lunged forward, but was knocked again. And then _something_ washed over her.

It was like _musk_ but for the mind and soul. The smell of wet leather, bestial almost. Blood. And _anger_ . It was a sensation that had _weight_. Around them, the humans shuddered. Bow winced and gasped, bent double as he went down on one knee, “Catra?”

The Dominion inhaled. _Oh no._

The feeling meant only one thing. The other demon _knew_ they were here. AND it wasn’t just a Baron or a powerful Agent. This thing was on her level _easily_.

She looked around as she took stock. The humans were focusing on her. She cursed as one lunged forwards and took a swing at her. Then another came. And another. She parried and batted them away, “BOW!”

“WHAT?” The Cherub was wincing, but holding his own, apologising every time he slapped a human back, or sent one to the floor.

“Get HIGHER! See if you can’t… disrupt things. Do something _lovey_ …”

“LOVEY?!”

“YES! I need to…. Not hurt these people.”

Bow shoved back another group then _leapt_ into the air. His wings unfurled and the sudden _light_ sent several humans tumbling backwards. With a flick, his bow snapped open in his hand and an arrow appeared in his fingers. He sighted and fired.

A bloom of crimson smoke enveloped a crowd of humans, who immediately sagged and flopped to the floor, faces dreamy. More arrows thudded down, stunning and incapacitating. Bow kept apoligising and muttering “Hope I don’t cause any _long term_ issues…. Like _awkward divorces_ or _that’s my best friends brother_ ….”

Catra shoved back against another assault, then unfurled her own wings. She forced her aura out and the humans staggered backwards, some crying out in fear. Several just broke and ran. She looked around at the clearing space and saw, in the strobing lights, a figure at the far end. She couldn’t make out _any_ details - the shadows clung around them like oil. Catra glared, then beat her wings and launched herself across the expanse of the warehouse. The figure waited, then jinked to one side and….

Smashed through a side door. Catra arrested her charge, but tumbled into a stack of speakers next to the stage. She waved at Bow, who still hovered above the dance floor, “Come on! It went that way!”

She flapped her wings, straightened herself and darted outside. Bow followed and they glanced around, before the archer pointed, “THERE!”

Night had settled and the street lamps were lighting up. One exploded as shadows flowed around it, like a great shape had staggered against it. The angels darted off in pursuit. The figure was a step ahead, rounding buildings and through alleys. Here, the warehouses crowded together around loading yards and abandoned cargo containers. They veered around another building and saw the shape smash through a door like it was paper. They charged in and found another warehouse, this one filled with rotting boxes. The clatter of another door on the far side had them leaping twenty foot-tall box stacks. A steel door swung on busted hinges and they powered through.

Bow cried out and dove out of the way as a flash of purple light suddenly blasted at them from the roof of the warehouse. Catra saw the dark shadow vanishing around another corner.

“GO!” yelled the Cherub and Catra shot him a look, “I’ll get the teleporter.”

“BOW… this.. This isn’t…”

“Yeah, probably _not_ going to beat it, but I can keep it _off you_ … GO!”

Catra hissed, then nodded and beat her wings, giving herself a burst of speed as she sprinted down another gap between warehouses. Behind her she heard the twang of bow-string and the _hiss_ of hellish magic being exchanged. She swallowed, guilty for leaving her friend to fight a foe he was _not_ ready for, guilty for dragging him down here at all.

She rounded a corner and found herself in an alleyway.At the far end she could make out a street, lit by lamps. One by one, the lamps flickered out, the bulbs exploding with electric _pops_ , the glass tinkling to the ground.

A rumble, like the warning growl of a lion rattle the windows above her, grubby and broken panes cracking as the sound reverberated into her very soul.

Ahead, darkness coiled around the last streetlamp, and the light grew dimmer and dimmer. A vast _mass_ stood there, seemingly shapeless. The light _popped_ and the alleyway fell to complete darkness. 

There was a hiss and a crown of blue flame lit up. It shed no light. It cast no warmth. But its shape highlighted a pair of Ibex-like horns.

In front, another line of fire traced into a blade of flickering cerulean. Flames dripped from it to hiss and freeze the concrete below. The dark shape, indistinguishable in the black, stood motionless, its low rumbling growl suffusing the very air with menace.

Catra could _feel_ the presence of the beast. It pressed on her. Then the beast took a step forward, the blade of flame moving as whatever it was slowly advanced.

The Dominion allowed her full power to manifest. Her clothing glowed with Heavenly power and she uncoiled her whip with a flick of her wrist. Her wings spread out and bathed the alleyway in cleansing light. Where it touched the edge of the Hellspawns influence the air hissed and crackled, sparks and fizzing air popping as influence fought.

She stared at where she thought the head was, a good couple of feet higher than on a human. It could be hunched, for all she knew, bending down to peer at her. She had the impression of vast wings, though that could have just been the sheer _force_ the thing was pushing out. She rolled her shoulders and smiled.

“I am Dominion Catra, of the Fourth Chorus. Herald of the Glory of the Tenth Chapters, Messenger of on High and Vanguard of the End times. Where I go, I bring forth the glory of our Lady. Surrender, Spawn of the Pit and return to your domain. You will receive no quarter from me otherwise.”

The being before her stopped. She inhaled, prepared, curious as to its next move.

There was a sound, almost like a _chuffing_ , a deep rumbling snort. Then the tone changed. It softened, became _normal_. Laughter.

The blue blade turned ninety degrees and then sank into the ground, then snuffed out. Catra blinked. Between them, a street light flickered back to life. The black shadows moved forward and the figure stepped into the light, the blue crown vanishing as the shadows transitioned into visible form.

Catra blinked and her wings fluttered.

Tall, clad in leather trousers and with combat boots wrapped in chains; a torso wrapped in a cross between a bodice and a waistcoat. The figure’s hips could be seen where it dipped into the low cut of the leather trousers and a triangle was set into the chest, just above the curve of the figure’s breasts.

Solid, powerful arms spread out, adorned with sparse tattoos - a baptismal cross, a Christian rose and a sword, shattered on a bed of roses.

Catra shivered, her voice trapped in her throat as she stared.

A small smirk graced the lips of the Demon as red eyes shifted to blue, framed by blond hair like spun gold. Vast wings the colour of midnight spread langrously behind her.

“Hey Catra.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ta da.
> 
> Now what, Catra?
> 
> As every - thoughts please ;) Oh, and music choice for the reveal! If you spot errors , continuity fluffs etc, please point out.
> 
> https://youtu.be/Y_PCjw5WKpo
> 
> And a nice visual for the end scene:
> 
> https://twitter.com/ruslunam_art/status/1297937410261753858


	12. The road to hell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reunions can be bittersweet.
> 
> Catra, confused, lost. What path should she take.
> 
> Things are shifting. Will all be well as the pieces make their moves?
> 
> Some Swearing. Demons do that, apparently.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And heeeere we gooooo.
> 
> Music of choice?
> 
> https://youtu.be/op7dk86eKmA

This was impossible. No. Not just impossible.

_ Insanity on a level unknown to the universe _ .

Across from her, the demon smirked. Those oh-so-familiar eyes bored into her, but her mind  _ refused _ to accept the evidence presented to them. She wasn’t sure how she was still standing, as the world felt like a carousel gone mad. Slowly, her head moved back and forth as she tried to right everything  _ wrong _ with this scene.

“It… it can’t be? Adora?”

The demon barked a laugh. There was no real humour in there, just faint derision, “Oh come on  _ Catra _ . Oh Dominion of the BLAH BLAH BLAH. Don’t act so surprised. You took the job, you knew the task assigned by  _ those on high _ ,” the demon cocked a hip and planted a hand against it, her smirk taking a twinge of a sneer into it, “Hell, should be me all shocked that you were the one who wanted to do it. So. Own it Catra.”

Catra reeled, her face creased in consternation as she tried to sort the absolute  _ shitstorm _ barreling through her, “What?”

“I mean, I can see you’ve gotten bitten by the  _ corporate _ vibe. Since when did  _ titles _ matter to you? I mean, we used to get drunk on Mykonos and wedgie cyclopses. You tripped  _ Zeus _ and switched his drinks that one time. I mean…  _ wow _ . You’ve  _ changed _ girl…. And an  _ assassin _ too?”

“I’ve changed? I’VE changed? You’re… YOU’RE a demon!” Catra splayed her hands, her whip limp and dragging on the floor as she gesticulated, “You… you  _ betrayed _ us! Turned to the dark!”

Adora rolled her head back and laughed, the sound bitter and harsh, “Betrayed? That’s the line they went with from  _ mother dearest _ ? Oh that’s just  _ rich _ . So. Not enough to get me kicked out,  _ thrown _ into the pit, you wanted to finish the job? For what? Further up the Totem pole, oh Power Catra? No more a Spartan, now an Athenean orator?”

She felt lost, adrift. Things weren’t making sense. Adora seemed… angry? Well, yes, she was a demon, that was their  _ thing _ . But it was more than that. Catra flopped her arms, her wings drooping behind her.

“Why, Adora? Why… why… I thought you were dead!”

The demon blinked, her sneer suddenly fragile on her face, “Like I’m supposed to believe that, when you turn up here guns blazin’? Wrecking my  _ vibe _ ? Like I went and spat in your cereal? This feels  _ personal _ Catra, so don’t…”

“Where were you?! You LEFT Adora - I looked and you LEFT!”

The blond demon’s nostrils flared and she glared daggers at the angel, “You didn’t look too hard, did you? What, they gave you a nice little job, window office?” she hissed and steam rolled off the demon as the air around Adora superheated for a brief moment. She spoke through clenched teeth, “I never  _ left _ . I was  _ thrown out _ . They tried. To. Kill. Me. SHE tried to kill me. And now here you are, loyal little kitty-kat… to finish their dirty work.”

Something rippled around the demon and Adora winced, the muscles of her neck tightening. Catra saw something like  _ pain  _ flash through the demon’s form and she took a step forward without thinking. Adora’s hand flashed out and a line of blue flame lit between them. Catra looked at it, then back up at Adora. She shook her head slowly.

“Adora… I…. I tried to find you. I did… but no one knew where you were, none of us!”

The demon grinned mirthlessly, “Of course. That’d show the lie. So, Catra, Dominion of the Fourth Chorus. Going to have a go?” she shifted her weight, but kept the hand planted on her hip, “Do your  _ duty _ ?”

Catra swallowed and let out a shuddering breath, “What  _ happened _ Adora? I… I’m here to stop a demon invasion and here  _ you _ are? Please,  _ tell _ me, what… what’s going on?”

The demon stared at her, blue-grey eyes searching Catra’s face. Her smirk faded to a neutral expression and she crossed her arms, her stance still tense, “An  _ invasion _ ? Seriously?”

“You’re working for  _ Shadow Weaver!  _ What am I supposed to think?”   


“Whatever  _ they  _ tell you, probably. I’m just  _ living _ Catra. Just. Living. And can’t have that, can we?”

The Dominion ran her hands through her hair as she paced back and forward. Between the two, the low wall of flame flickered and shimmered, “This is madness!”

Adora chuckled and raised a fist, her voice faintly high pitched. Not hysterical, but manic, “No! This! Is! Brightmoon!” she laughed at Catra’s alarmed expression, “HA! Your  _ face _ … just be thankful I didn’t kick you through a wall…”

“You’ve been… causing havoc.  _ Why _ Adora?”

The demon cocked her head and her blond hair cascaded to one side, “Havoc? I’ve been serving  _ justice _ , Catra. Doing what we  _ should _ have been. The Heavens pulled back, closed shop! No one home! And, y’know, if in doing so, I wreck some of  _ mom’s _ toys, well… she doesn’t  _ care _ . Lightspinner was  _ right _ : she doesn’t care, never has, really. And she’ll throw you away as soon as she feels you’re a nuisance,” she spread her arms, “Look at me.”

It was all just too much. Catra inhaled and glared at the demon, “I can’t let you just… destroy things, upset the balance.”

“WHAT balance? All I’m doing is walking the earth…. Minding  _ my biz _ as some of these people say. And no one cared. Until _ now _ . And  _ now _ you show up. After  _ how long _ Catra?”

The Dominion schooled her expression, “Adora, please… just, surrender. We can, well. I’m  _ sure _ we can sort this out. No one…  _ no one _ knew. We didn’t even  _ spot _ you...”

“DUH! It’s so easy now, Catra. I barely  _ register _ among all the crap these people do. That’s how mad all this is.”   


“Surrender, PLEASE!”

The demon grinned and shook her head, “Catra, I trust... _ trusted _ you the most. But you weren’t there. I tried to find you when it happened but… I still fell. And then  _ nothing _ . I’ve done  _ nothing _ wrong. Except piss off Mom, apparently. And that’s a capital crime, huh? And then Heaven send  _ you _ ….  _ YOU _ to end me?” There was something else in the demon’s eyes now. Not just anger, but something closer to despair, “ _ No _ . Because they’ll  _ make _ you kill me. Not just cast me back, but  _ kill _ me. And….”

Catra reached out, “I won’t let them Adora. Please…  _ please _ . It doesn’t have to go… go that way.”

Adora spread her arms and her wings. Around them, the shadows seemed to lengthen, “You can’t take me, Catra. You never could. And after what they  _ did _ to me… you don’t stand a chance. So, just….” Adora winced and inhaled, then sagged slightly. Catra lurched forwards and leapt through the wall of flame. She gasped as her clothing scorched and her fur singed. But she grasped Adora by the wrists.

The demon’s head rocked up and blue eyes locked with hers. Catra stared at her, “What’s wrong? This… something’s  _ wrong _ ,” Catra’s gaze swept over her old friend, searching for a wound, “Did…. did I... wound you?”

Adora was breathing heavily, her breath misting despite the warm air around them. Her expression was cautious but also surprised. Catra held her wrists gently, then met her gaze again. The demon blinked and winced again, her eyes suddenly flecked with red, “You should run, Catra….”

The Dominion shook her head, “I can’t Adora…”

The demon smirked, “Your duty, huh?”

Catra looked away and twitched, “Something like that…”

“No… you need to  _ run _ . I need to get out of here. It’ll be… hnng….  _ Bad _ ….”

“What’s going on, Adora, talk to me,” Catra searched the blond’s eyes again, “ _ Please _ .”

The demon looked into Catra’s mismatched gaze and her face wavered, her lips quivering, “I  _ missed _ you, Catra… where  _ were _ you?”

The Dominion swallowed and squeezed Adora’s wrists, “I’m here…. We can figure this out. Like old times…”

Adora’s expression shifted, settled into something like grief and she pulled her wrists away from Catra, “Old times…. It’s too late, Catra. Too late for me…. So, we gonna do this?”

The Dominion straightened and flexed her wings, “No.”   


The demon shivered and cocked her head. Her eyes were now almost completely red, “You’ll probably still want to run.”   


“No. I need answers. And you’re going to give them to me. One way or another.”   


A flash of black glitter swirled into being and a third figure materialised next to Adora, “Lost that jumpy asshole. Damn, he’s  _ persistent _ … hell Adora, we’re almost outta time we gotta get you…. Uhhhh why is she still standing?”

The figure was short. Not as short as Frosta, but shorter than Catra. Adora practically dwarfed her. Purple hair crowned a pretty face that seemed to be set in a scowl. She wore a leather jacket over some sort of black body-suit. There was a studded belt thrown in, along with thick leather boots with  _ heels _ .

Catra arched an eyebrow and looked between Adora and the newcomer. Purple-hair didn’t  _ look _ all that demonic. But the way that she was bent forwards, her initial expression of concern now one of active hostility directed at Catra was strange to observe. Catra noted the way a hand hovered above Adora’s shoulder. For her part, the demon-Adora just kept her gaze on Catra. Then the blond rolled her shoulders and closed her eyes.

Catra noticed the temperature around them drop for a moment, then saw Adora straighten and look at the small woman next to her, “All ok Glim. We were just catching up. I think we’re done here…” she frowned at Catra and tilted her chin up.

“You’re going to let her  _ go _ ? Adora you’re… on the verge of hulking… I mean, y’know…” ‘Glim’ shot another glare at Catra and the Dominion felt a strange sensation of recognition, “And do we need to have them sniffing around?”

Adora shrugged, her eyes on Catra, as if she couldn’t look away, “Knock one down, get twenty more.”

“She’ll just summon more!”

“No, I won’t,” Catra was surprised at her own voice. The two demons stared at her. Adora had a faint smile on her face, but she still seemed wary. The purple-haired girl looked incredulous.

“And we should just… believe you?”

“Well, seeing as  _ your _ mom sent me… I think maybe I should look into things before I kick your asses….” Catra was wired and on edge. She wanted to approach Adora, to just  _ understand _ . But this newcomer had her twitchy. The way she hugged  _ close _ to the blond demon. The way she was  _ protecting _ her. The way she just acted like she had any  _ involvement _ at all.

Like she was  _ Catra _ .

Purple-hair was staring at her, her face pale, “My…. mom?”

“Yeah, thought I recognised the hair. You’re Glimmer, daughter of the Seraph.”

“Not enough to banish me, she gets an assassin….”

“What is with the  _ assassin _ idea?!” Catra flung up her hands, “I’m  _ just _ here to stop overt demon activity and reconcile whether there’s an invasion! And you two. Are. Not. Helping.”

Adora shuddered and Glimmer tore her gaze away from Catra to pat her, “Shit, we need to go… or else it’s gonna be that Baseball game all over again….”

Adora’s head lolled and she sniggered, “Wasn’t that bad….  _ Fun _ .” Her voice was slurred all of a sudden. Catra took another step forwards. Part of her mind  _ wondered _ \- she could take Adora if the demon was disorientated. The second demon? Daughter of a Seraph, yes, but not one herself. And the girl hadn’t got the element of surprise. Catra did.

Then Adora looked up and Catra inhaled. Her face was  _ changing _ . Teeth were now double-sets of fangs. Her eyes were red, but with black sclera. She smiled broadly, “ _ Catraaaaaa _ .”

The voice was Adora’s but with a reverb. Glimmer cursed and looked at the Dominion, “So, what’s it gonna be? Think you can take her?”

Catra stared at Adora, who was now slumped over Glimmer’s shoulder. She took a breath, then stepped back and half turned. Her voice, when it came out, was quiet, “Go.”

Glimmer frowned and Adora sighed. The larger demon straightened and winced, “Catraaaa.”

The Dominion looked away, a faint, sad smile on her face, “This isn’t because I like you… or anything.”

She closed her eyes as the air shifted and she heard a  _ hiss _ of displaced air. All that was left of the pair were a few motes of dark glitter drifting on a breeze. Catra stared at them, then sank to her knees. Her wings splayed around her, spread out and she choked out a noise that wasn’t quite a sob, wasn’t quite a groan of frustration. She leaned forward onto the tarmac and rested her forearms there, then let out a hiss of breath that turned into a faint keen of  _ something _ . Her claws dug into the ground and she dragged rivulets through the paving.

“Catra? CATRA!” feet landed nearby and hands gripped her shoulders, gentle and concerned, “Are you… wounded?”

Catra knelt up and flung her arms around Bow’s neck. She clung to him as she heaved breath after breath, trying to parse the activity of the past few… minutes? Hours? Seconds? Bow was nonplussed and absently rubbed at her shoulders. Slowly she regulated her breathing. HE wrapped his wings around them both and hummed a tuneless ditty, trying to sooth her.

She noticed that the gem in his chest was fluttering, the light pulsing strangely. WIth a shuddered breath she pushed away and shook her head, “Thanks Bow… just, uh… caught off guard.”

He nodded, “Yeah, the teleporter? She’s  _ good _ . So…. fast. Energetic. I mean, gave as good as I got but  _ wow _ she’s uh… something,” he frowned and shook his head, “Gave me a workout at least. What… happened?” he looked around the alleyway and arched an eyebrow, “Not the epic showdown I was expecting. No explosions, for one.”

She chuckled, in spite of herself, “Yeah… more a battle of wills. I… I don’t know I lost.” 

“Did you um… did you banish her?”

Catra locked eyes with him and shook her head, “I have  _ no _ idea what’s going on Bow.”

\-----------------------

The pair met up with Frosta and her current  _ nuisance _ . Seahawk was on a phone call with Mermista being  _ berated _ , whilst Frosta leant against their car. The club was deserted and no living thing stirred. The burnt out motorbikes and still-pulsing lightshow within the empty warehouse gave the place a surreal feel.

Catra noted that  _ Swift Wind _ was missing, however.

They drove back in silence, Seahawk having been dispatched somewhere else with his camera crew. Frosta shot nervous glances into the mirror at her and Bow, sat in the front, just seemed to be staring into space. Catra slumped against the headrest in the back, eyes glazed and staring at nothing as the scenery flickered by.

Warehouses to trees, trees to small suburbs, suburbs to glistening glass towers. It made no difference.

The door opened and she blinked. Bow stood outside the car, his face concerned. He bit his lip and glanced at Frosta, who seemed at a loss herself. Catra sighed and half stepped, half slumped out of the car. The Dverge angel cringed away and panted.

“Catra… you’re not ok,” she managed. The Dominion frowned at her, then looked at Bow who slowly shook her head.

“You’re…. Radiating despair, Catra. I can just feel it. You are  _ not _ ok. Need you to just… go non-angel for a bit? Ok?” Bow’s voice was soothing. Catra just blinked and looked over her shoulder.

“Not got my wings out,” she mumbled.

“Yeah but you’re like… depression central right now,” winced Frosta, “Any humans nearby are going to feel like Heaven  _ hates _ them. That’s like… Biblical flood levels of disappointment you’re steaming out.”   


Catra closed her eyes and let her power dial down. Of course, that meant that she was more  _ meat _ now and that brought a whole host of  _ other _ feelings. Confusion, tiredness, vulnerability. Bow caught her as she stumbled. The Cherub and the Dverge helped her into the building and up to the operations room.

The activity hadn’t decreased, aside from a shift in which of the Magi were awake. Mermista turned, her confused expression shifting immediately to one of alarm.

“What the heyyyy? What happened? Did she get her ass kicked?”

Bow shook his head, “No… no sign of the demons. I chased one off, I think, but Catra… there wasn’t any  _ damage _ , really. But she seems down. Maybe some sort of magical attack? A curse? She’s… something is very wrong.”   


Catra took a hissed breath and straightened up, “Im  _ fine _ . Just… just  _ nothing _ . She got away, that’s all.”

Mermista didn’t look convinced, “Uhhhhhh, two demons caused a mini  _ riot _ in the Freight Zone; we’ve been trying to dampen the police reports and track all the hospital admissions. I mean, like, it’s busted heads and bruised egos right now… but that’s like a taster, compared to what these two have  _ apparently _ managed before. And you just lost them? I thought you were Ms High and Mi-”

Catra was suddenly in Mermista’s face, “I. Fucking. Am. And  _ yet _ …. And  _ YET _ …. No one knows  _ anything _ about these two. I am the closest anyone has ever gotten to them and  _ surprise _ they have stuff going on that… that….”

She flung her arms up and stalked away from the group. She growled, then swung a fist. It cracked against a pillar and she winced. The pillar came off worse. Mermista sighed and massaged her nose-bridge, “That’s gonna come out of the deposit…”

The Dominion sagged against the pillar and rested her head against it, “....she’s a Fallen.”

The room went quiet. Frosta blinked and swallowed, “So, uh…. Not just a big scary demon? A full on…. Pissed Angel?”

“Yeah…”

“Do you… know her?” that came from Mermista, her voice strangely quiet. Catra took a shuddered breath and managed only a faint shrug.

“Once.”

Frosta turned away and hunched over, “Never good to fight a friend…”

The rest of the room sank into silence, the Magi keeping their focus on their tasks. Bow stepped towards Catra, his voice low, “Someone from the Fall? Another Dominion?”

“No… I.. I wasn’t a Dominion then. She was a Power, like me. Although… well, not  _ really _ . She just liked the job. But, Bow… she’s  _ changed _ . And she said some things…”

“She works for Weaver, they  _ lie _ , Catra. Even I know that drill.”

Catra looked at him, her arm still against the pillar and she nodded, “Just… hard seeing someone you know, even if it was ages back… seeing them so  _ changed _ .”

He shrugged, “Even we change, given time. Look, we’ve still got a job to do… if you want to. I’m sure we can, I don’t know, get a squad of whatever it is you guys call on when you do your… exorcism stuff.”

Catra smirked and shook her head tiredly, “Hardly subtle. But…. I don’t know Bow. This was round one. It got to me. Can’t let it happen again. I mean look at me, I’m a mess!”

“Hey, first time tackling something like this.”

“I can headbut Eldritch horrors and things with more freakin’ apostrophes in their name than a book on English Grammar. But this… I SHOULD be able to tackle this. Even a FALLEN! I’ve fought them before…” her voice trailed off. Bow looked at his chest, where the gem was pulsing again. He frowned and tapped it.

“This thing’s been weird for days. Maybe this place is getting to me. It feels so real and yet….  _ Not _ . No one speaks their mind, everyone just dodges around things.”

Catra nodded and felt a stab of guilt in her gut, “Yeah. Humans huh!”

Bow eyes her, “Yeah. Humans,” he looked away and sighed, “Look, lie down, let your… body… rest. Maybe once whatever that demon did wears off we can track them again. I mean, I barely kept up with the other one, so maybe we just need  _ more _ info on how to beat them.”

_ Beat them. Defeat them. Kill them. _ Catra’s mind blurred through it and her gut tightened again. She managed a shaky nod and stumbled towards the camp cots. Mermista watched her, then approached, whilst Bow went back to the Scroll Circle. Kyle was having a whispered conversation with Lonnie, low and urgent. Catra couldn’t bring herself to focus.

The black haired Archangel peered at her as Catra lay back, “You look messed up.”

“Thanks Mermista. Your observations are appreciated,” Catra responded with barely any enthusiasm. The former sea-goddess squatted next to the camp cot and peered at her.

“I mean, like… you’re bitchy as heck anyway, but just now…. That was a new level. So, what do we need to do?”

Catra frowned and turned her head to the girl, “This is your version of letting me rest?”

“No, this is my version of understanding what I need to do so you can, like, rejuice and stop being a whiny bitch,” deadpanned Mermista, “So, brief me.”

The Dominion actually chuckled, “Sassy,” she looked back at the ceiling and closed her eyes for a moment, “So, Fallen, with a teleporter. Doing something with the club-goers and bikers. May have fled now they um…. Got one over on us. So, track, see if they’re around. Also, see what they’re doing with the humans. Work that out, maybe we can just disrupt their plans, get them on the back foot…. And um, go from there.”   


Mermista nodded, then stood up and returned to the troops. Bow gave her a thumbs up from across the room and Catra nodded at him with a faint smile. Her eyes drooped and she felt exhaustion take her.

\----

She awoke with a start. Outside the sky was black, lit only by a few remaining lights from the myriad office buildings. Around their office floor only a few of the Magi continued to toil. Lonnie sat crossed legged next to the Scroll Circle whilst Rogelio and Kyle joked. The seer had an amused smile on her face. Catra couldn’t help but mirror it, though her own expression had sadness in it.

Mermista was absent, probably attending other business, whilst Bow and Frosta we sat by one of the windows, talking quietly.

Catra felt suddenly  _ very _ alone. It hit her like a punch to the gut. It wasn’t necessarily a  _ rational _ response. Bow was her friend, after all. But right now Bow was chatting to Frosta.

Adora had been her friend and was now a  _ demon _ . And had  _ someone else _ .

She couldn’t quite work through the reason why that last bit about Adora rankled her more than the whole  _ DEMON _ bit.

But also she had that  _ guilt _ . Adora had been alive, somewhere, and seemingly in  _ pain _ . But Catra hadn’t found her, hadn’t looked hard enough. But then again, Adora had turned to Lightspinner, so why  _ should _ Catra have been bothered? Why should she still be bothered? Adora was a  _ traitor _ . She had turned from Mara’s gaze, had betrayed what they stood for…

But Mara was  _ her mother _ . And Adora had implied what? That Mara had tried to  _ kill _ her? That just didn’t make sense. Mara was  _ mercy _ incarnate…. Or was moreso now. She’d had her  _ moments _ of course. But her own daughter?

Catra felt agitated, the thoughts feeling like a betrayal in themselves. She turned on the cot and felt something dig into her chest - her phone. Desperate for a distraction, she fished it out. Maybe Frosta had installed some of the Jewel Hunting clicky things on there. Those seemed a good way to occupy her fevered mind until she felt more herself.

The phone lit up as she turned it back on. Then it buzzed like a maddened wasp.

_ Hey who dis?  
_ _ Y u hang up?  
_ _ PLANE GURL OH HAI!  
_ _ This ur number then huh?  
_ _ Must b busy… didnt scare u off did I? _

Catra stared at the messages. There were about twenty. She felt oddly flattered and she  _ was _ distracted. The texts were initially curious, then teasing.

_ N here I thought u were big scary corp girl… not frightened of lil me? _

A picture of the air hostess, all wide eyed and innocent. Then one last message.

_ HMU tho. _

Catra blinked owlishly and stared at the keypad. She tapped a few words.

_ Hi. Been busy. Work. Thank you for the concern. _

She frowned and flinched as the phone buzzed again.

  1. _Glad ur doing good. Got a bit carried away w/ ^^^^_



Catra tried to interpret the pictograms and realised they were  _ arrows _ . She smiled faintly.

_ Not to worry. We all Can get rather enthused with things. _

Yes this was good. Distracting. She wasn’t even thinking about….

**_Adora_.**

Her stomach clenched again. She typed more. She typed  _ faster _ .

_ I am in a bit of limbo. I could do with someone to talk to.  _

There was a pause, then another message.

_ Now? ;) _

Catra frowned again, then looked at the night sky. It probably  _ was _ a little late for a conversation.

_ I see, yes. Very late. Would Kafveh in the morning suit? _

Another pause, then another message.

_ Sure I can’t tempt u 2 breakfast in bed? _

Catra’s brain  _ slowly _ began to catch up with her. Or maybe it had already been on the same page but not willing to  _ read the words _ . She swallowed and again had that feeling of  _ wrongness _ . But it was caught up in her confusion and irritation.

_ Maybe another time. Kafveh? _

Why was she doing this? Pause. Response.

_ Awwww. Well, good things 2 those who wait, rite? _

Catra was about to respond when there was a shout from across the room. One of the magi was wringing their hand, the strange circle they were monitoring now a blazing inferno. Suddenly, the flames winked out. Catra stood and moved towards the former conflagration, phone and strange, distracting conversation forgotten. She got to the table just as the others clustered around, “What happened?” she managed.

The magi shook his head, “Massive spike in demonic energy, around… some part of the woodlands. I mean, HUGE. We’ve had spikes, but looking at past patterns it was always masked by events… this in isolation,” he swallowed and looked at the Dominion, “It’s scary, ma’am.”   


She looked at the scorched table. The various talismans and map markers were naught but ash. She felt there was a connection here. Something else. Was it the next stage of the demonic plan? But why the woods?

“Anything of interest there?”

Another mage looked up from a laptop, “Um… cabins, a lake… nothing, really. Not history of violence, no incidents. Not even a mugging.”

Catra shook her head, “Ok… weird. Any sign of our teleporter?”

“Aura tracking indicates that they were likely at the same spot. No precise trace, but we know they’re still in the city. Not making a run for it.”   


Bow looked at Catra, puzzled, “They know we’re here. They know we  _ could _ bring down more. You can bring down more, right?”

Catra nodded slowly, “Yeah. Maybe they think that they can take us?”

The magi pointed at his charred desk, “Maybe they CAN?”

The Dominion shook her head slightly, “They can do damage. But even two demons… even ones as potentially powerful as these? A Century of powers could take them…. But there would be collateral.”

Her lips pursed, but Frosta spoke before she could, “Human shields,” Catra glanced at her and Frosta elaborated, “They’re using the city as a sort of… armour. Betting you won’t call in the cavalry.”

That was a concern. Adora had always been relatively strategic; she was, at times, better in the thick of combat, but she still had a strategists mind. Plans, approaches, viewing an enemy’s strengths and weaknesses. This felt ruthless, even for her. IF that was the plan, of course. Or…

Or she thought Catra WOULD call in a Heavenly Army to  _ kill _ her?

That thought made her feel worse. She massaged her temples and winced, “Ok… well, we need to work out what they’re doing, where they’re  _ going _ . They’ve incited riots across the globe, they’ve stolen tech, this… Glim... _ TELEPORTER _ … this teleporter, she’s been tracking something, that’s what the evidence states. The other one just seems to want to cause chaos. Why are they working together? What’s the PLAN here people?”

She looked around at them, then sent chivvying motions and stalked back towards her bunk. A hand on her shoulder made her flinch, but she turned. Bow stared at her, an eyebrow arched, “Glim….?”

She sagged, “Glimmery, y’know? Because all that glitter she leaves behind?”

He didn’t look convinced, but just nodded, “You look a bit better. Want to head out again?”

She shook her head, “More sleep. Weirdly, feels good.”

“ _ CATRA _ !” she flinched again and looked past Bow. Kyle was waving from his Circle. She rolled her eyes, then dragged herself over.

“What?”

“ _ UHHH, just, well… thought you might want to know…”  _ he fidgeted and she glared at him.

“Spit it out, Kyle,” her voice was sharper than she’d intended and Lonnie took an unconscious step forward. The Dominion closed her eyes and folded her hands, “Sorry, not your fault. Go on, please?”

_ “Um, so… stuff’s happening up here. I updated Juliet on your progress and she reported to Angella but… uhhh. There’s someone else involved.” _

Catra frowned, “Who?”   


“ _ Uhhh…. Light Hope….?”  _ Kyle winced as Catra cursed extensively in Sumerian. Lonnie arched an eyebrow.

“She sounds…. Nice?”

Catra snarled, “She’s a  _ problem solver _ for the Seraphs. If she’s involved, it means things aren’t moving  _ fast _ enough. Or they know something we don’t and have not deigned to share.”   


Lonnie looked alarmed, “Wait, a  _ Seraph? _ She gonna come down here?”

The Dominion shook her head, “Unlikely. She’ll just be a pain… then send her own enforcers if we don’t resolve this quickly. And they aren’t as  _ subtle _ as I am.”   


That got a snort, “You, subtle?”

There was a pause as Catra turned her face to Lonnie. Her smile was cold, “My dear Seer, by comparison, I am a breeze on a warm day. Think Hurricane Katrina coupled with Krakatowa as the alternative. Collateral damage is not seen as an unfortunate side effect, rather a  _ perk _ .”

Lonnie went pale, “You’re the  _ good _ option?”

“Charming. Yes. I am. They go to ensure things are cleared up. And if a few mortals get caught in the crossfire, well…. A shame. But the world MIGHT learn a lesson,” She nodded at Kyle, “Thank you, Coel Hen. Most useful. I suppose I best  _ speak _ to her.”

“ _ Shall I… um… get her here?” _

Catra nodded then turned away. Probably best to check her scrolls for messages - this was likely in there  _ somewhere _ . She was about to ponder whether the morning could get worse, but decided she had tempted fate enough recently.

For the next four hours she sifted through scrolls and checked her various Commandments that had been sent through. Things seemed to have gotten lively upstairs all of a sudden - updates from the other Dominion teams, noting strange upticks in activity in Brightmoon, minor increases globally; Planar incursions had decreased weirdly; further interpretations on patterns and so forth, although that was now being channeled through Kyle. She smiled as she read another report praising the young Virtue - clearly he was making a name for himself. She felt  _ proud _ .

The Light Hope update was more recent - Angella had moved to consult with Mara and  _ temporarily  _ given oversight to Hope. Which would likely mean this operation would  _ end _ with Hope, because the Seraph did not waste time. But Catra was irked - the timing felt very very  _ off _ .

She’d found out it was Adora  _ and _ Angella’s daughter and suddenly one of the most ruthless Seraphs was appointed to finalise things? It could be coincidence.

But then Adora’s words rang through her mind:  _ They tried to kill me. Cast me out. Send you to finish the job. _

Hope had  _ trained _ Adora as well. She  _ knew _ her. That connection was there. Did she know? Was this a targeted strike or just coincidence? Did the Golden Throne just want the demon influence expunged as rapidly as possible?

And what did that mean for her deal with Hordak? Hope wouldn’t tolerate  _ that _ at all.

Catra groaned and leaned back - she needed to  _ handle _ this somehow. Part of her wanted to just let Hope drop an asteroid on that Tech farm and remove Hordak as an issue… but…

She’d promised. And for some reason, looking at Emily and Hordak, it gave her a sliver of  _ something _ . That things could change? That the future wasn’t ordained?

At that thought, Adora’s face flashed through her mind. She blushed for a moment, then saw Bow glance in her direction, then down at his chest, a thoroughly confused expression on his face. She didn’t know what to make of it.

Next to her, her phone buzzed - a map marker and a location, along with a winking face. From the air hostess. Her gut clenched again and she looked out of the window - the sun was rising and with it, a strange sense of purpose. Catra inhaled.

She was a Dominion. She  _ found things out _ . She solved problems. Sometimes with a sword. Sometimes with a word.

But she was the Truth.

And by Mara she’d find it.


	13. It never rains but it pours

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A mystery deepens.
> 
> A date! But is it right!
> 
> Round two...? or just round in circles?

The drive into the woods was a quiet one - early morning traffic was light as Brightmoon was, according to Lonnie, “So damn Hipster,” that they seemed entirely reliant on bicycles or busses of one form or another. Catra had dragged the Seer out, whilst Bow held the fort with their Magi analysts.

The black girl watched Catra from the corner of her eye whilst she drove and the attention was getting to the Dominion. She shot the mortal a tired look, “What?”

“Nothin’. Just you’ve been playing with your phone and agitated since yesterday. I’d say you were guilty about  _ something _ but you’re an Angel…”   


Catra looked out the window and sniffed. Her gaze dropped to her phone again and a feeling like a lead weight settled into her gut. She’d agreed to… what…? A  _ liaison _ ? She could certainly do with the stress relief that companionship could bring, except something felt  _ wrong _ about it.

Quite what she wasn’t sure. She gestured helplessly at the screen, “I have agreed to meet a mortal woman for Kavfeh,”

“Woa, you  _ are _ slumming it,” chuckled Lonnie. She smirked, “What happened to high and mighty, bitch slap these idiots Dominion of the fifteenth hoohah?”

Catra gave Lonnie a withering look, “It was a bad day yesterday.”

The Seer’s smirk didn’t shift, “Uh huh. And there’s still  _ something _ you haven’t said about that. So, that why you feel guilty?” Catra tensed, but Lonnie continued, “Feeling like you’re, i’unno, letting the  _ side _ down?”

The Dominion relaxed, but then felt another jolt of something akin to  _ shame _ . SHe shuffled and leaned back against the window, “Don’t know. It’s… been a while since I was  _ involved _ with a mortal. And, well… it never ended well.”

“Sooooo  _ why _ then? And shouldn’t you be talking this up with the Cupid?”

She scoffed, “He is almost  _ too _ close to give a proper answer, you know? Like… when you want a good jar of wine, but the vinter keeps telling you about the various crops. It’s…. I just want a Mara’s-darn drink!”

Lonnie snorted and shook her head, “DAMN. Thirsty?”

“What, no? That was just an analogy…” Catra looked nonplussed and watched Lonnie arch an eyebrow, “Oh this is one of those linguistic shifts all of you keep doing. Well… I don’t know. I just suddenly felt that  _ need _ … companionship.”

Silence settled on the car and Catra gazed out as the woods zipped by. It felt like they were in the middle of a true wilderness, considering how thick the trees were - you could almost forget the city scant miles away. Lonnie spoke up, tentatively.

“So, uh… what prompted the loneliness? You seemed pretty  _ on it _ past few days. Then  _ bam _ some, what, old blast from the past knocks you about and you get…. Lovesick?”

Catra lurched, “Love? This is… is not  _ love _ . It is mere…. Connection.”

“Some of, what was it you said about Mermista…  _ Carnality _ , huh?”

“WHAT?!” Catra nearly shrieked and she glared across the central console at Lonnie, “No, just… ughh  _ shut up _ .”

“HAAAA, Angel’s coming to earth to steal our women, huh?”

“Is that what Kyle’s doing then?” Lonnie’s jaw clamped shut and she stared straight ahead. Catra blinked and grinned, “Oh my goodness…. You…. what in the  _ world _ ? You know he and Rogelio are…”   


Lonnie nodded stiffly. Catra leaned back, a minor air of smug satisfaction settling onto her features. Lonnie brought the car round a turnoff and then slowed to a halt on a gravel path. She licked her lips, unbuckled and stepped out, “We gotta walk from here.”

Catra stepped out and leaned on the car roof, “Lonnie,” the Seer stiffened and turned. Catra nodded slowly, “Not judging. Nothing wrong. But…. it’s  _ complicated _ ,” the Dominion’s expression softened, “Loving an immortal being, it takes a toll. When you’re not one yourself. And… your soul  _ will _ move on. But it will change,  _ you _ will change. And…”

Lonnie smiled faintly, “You’re  _ worried _ about me?”

Catra shrugged and looked away, “Y’know? Not known many mortals that well, just… fought them, judged them, watched them. But getting to  _ know _ them? And, well…. I respect you Lonnie.”

The Seer held up a hand, “Don’t go getting all mushy on me. We got Bow for that. And anyway, don’t know what Kyle… or Rogelio really think. They’re just…. Cool to talk to, y’know? Been spending my whole time with a Coven or a circle, hunting Mythics. Don’t get a lot of time for, well… bonding. But now I can speak to an Angel, regular? And he’s so… enthusiastic?” she brushed a hand through her braids and gave a sad smile, “Take advantage while you can, y’know? Because when this is done and you go… maybe I can’t anymore. Live the moment. So, I guess, maybe you should too… if you think you  _ need _ to.”

Catra didn’t meet her gaze, but nodded, “Yeah, “ she managed, “Need to…” her gaze flicked to her phone again and she stared at the map marker in the text exchange. With a grunt, she shoved the phone back into her pocket and gestured up the path, “The site’s this way.”

“And you’re sure this ain’t an ambush. Because I am  _ not _ equipped to tackle a Fallen. Two Fallen, rather.”

Catra shook her head, “They won’t risk it. I think next few days are going to be a real hunt… they’ll go to ground, make us work for it make….” her voice trailed off as they trudged through the treeline, only to stop at a clearing.

And it was a  _ clearing _ . A perfect circle. The trees at the edge were scorched black, but covered in a thin layer of frost. The ground was superheated to a mirror shine, the soil baked. Trees that had stood across the clearing were now just blackened, ash covered lumps. Lonnie whistled low and shook her head.

“Holy…. What the  _ hell _ Catra?”

The Dominion nodded, “The hell… precisely. What’s  _ that? _ ” she gestured at a pile in the dead centre of the clearing. Cautiously the pair approached then paused again. The pile was actually a collection of charred logs, in a square arrangement. The burnt out remnants of furniture and  _ chains _ could be made out among the ash. The two women exchanged looks and stepped carefully through the wreckage.

“What are we looking at here?” murmured Lonnie.

“You sensing anything?”

“Rage. A LOT of rage. And…. grief? Oh…” Lonnie stumbled a bit and brought her hand to her face, “Oh Mara… such  _ bitterness _ .”

Catra swallowed and nodded, then stepped closer to Lonnie. Her wings extended and wrapped around the human, “Yeah… I can… can feel it.”   
  
_ Adora….. _

Lonnie met her gaze, “What are we  _ chasing _ Catra? This doesn’t  _ feel _ evil. Just… angry. I can sense worry, practically burned into the wood here. What  _ happened?  _ There’s… chains?”

Catra recalled Adora’s eyes. The concern on Glimmer’s face. The urgency in her voice, a reference back to an  _ incident _ ?

“What does… ‘hulk out’ mean, Lonnie?”

\-------

An hour later, they were back in the Operations room. A magi had a printed out article on a Baseball game that had devolved into a fire and stampede, along with a brawl. It was  _ ugly _ . Chaotic. Violent.

Frosta, meanwhile, had an article on a large, green, fictional character open. Catra was struggling to see the connection. For the third time, the diminutive Angel let out a sigh, “It isn’t DIFFICULT. The Doctor gets mad, he goes big and green, bad things happen.”

“But I fail to see how he influences an entire stadium to…”   
  
“It’s NOT a like for like!” the Dverge threw up her hands and glared, “I think you keep doing this on purpose.”   


Catra hung her head, “I…. I think. Ok, I do get it, but I’m distracted by  _ this _ . All this. We know something happened to cause that... massacre. And we know this... explosion was demon caused. They seem wildly different, but follow the pattern, the journey of our target.”

Bow leaned on the conference table they were all gathered around, “What’s your theory Catra? I mean, I was thinking they were just here to cause mass confusion with that gig? But what you described in the woods? Sounds like they’re  _ afraid _ . Of us?”

Catra shook her head, “I...I think they’re trying to  _ mitigate _ the worst of it,” she looked up, baffled, “There were chains there. Inscribed with  _ Enochian _ and Sumerian script. And they  _ barely _ contained the energy. I think that whatever is happening to one of them,” she swallowed and held back her emotions, “I think…. It’s not by  _ choice _ .”

Lonnie nodded slowly, “A Curse? On a demon? What, someone in Hell got annoyed at a rival and hexed a hexer?”

That got a chorus of confused theories spouted out. Catra huffed slowly and studied the other documents in front of her. Reports of union meetings, student rallies, protest plans from various social media accounts. There was  _ trouble _ brewing in Brightmoon. Not quite revolution, but certainly  _ challenge _ . But  _ why _ ? Was it Adora’s quest for a mockery of Justice?

And then the strange searches that seemed to be popping up. Repeat asks about a man. Composite sketches, 3d images. All of the same man.

Hordak had noticed it - some sort of automated search running in the local servers of a nearby company. He had said it seemed  _ familiar _ but was too basic to be the missing program. Or so he thought. And the image was strange. Almost familiar in itself -a man with short black hair and a goatee. Short, stocky and a faintly Asian look to him. Catra felt she recognised it from  _ somewhere _ .

She huffed, “I need to take a walk. We may have to consider that the demon isn’t just a potential long term threat, but an imminent one. A reaction like that in a population centre and… well. We’re looking at rather more collateral than we expected,” she looked at the gathered Angels and mortals, “Aura trace - that’s our best bet. We can’t track Ad….. A  _ demon _ just by the motorbike. Get the teleporter. They seem to be the weaker one. With them we can get the  _ leader _ .”

She inhaled and turned away, moving towards the stairwell as her head thrummed. She wanted to know the  _ Truth _ . She had to report to Light Hope, but she needed to know  _ more _ . But she also… had promised and said she’d meet the mortal and she was so confused and…

Bow caught her in the stairwell and spun her round gentle. He met her eyes, “A  _ demon _ huh? There’s more to this than you’re letting on. This isn’t just me going crazy, Catra. What’s going on? Talk to me. We  _ always _ talk.”

“I just need to clear my head, Bow. Y’know, blow off some steam. It’ll be a while before they track that glittery thing and, well… maybe I’ll take a leaf out of Mermista’s book, y’know?”

He stared at her and shook his head, “This isn’t  _ you _ Catra. This is impulsive.”

“You said I should try impulsive! Take a break! Look at me! Dominion Impulsive!”

“A fling with a mortal? To what end?”

She pushed back, “To not feel like I have  _ nothing _ . For just… five minutes.”

He looked hurt, “You’ve got  _ me _ Catra.” She smiled at him, a sad smile.

“Not the same, Bow. You know that. You are my  _ best _ friend. But… I feel like I’m missing  _ something _ . So, maybe… before I take on this demon… this…  _ pair _ . Maybe I just need to see if I’ve ignored something. Maybe it’ll help clear my head.”

Bow looked at his chest and shook his head slowly. The gem was  _ dark _ . Not even a flicker. She breathed out through clenched teeth and stepped back, “Your call, Catra. But, and I say this as your  _ friend _ … this doesn’t feel like a good idea.”

She nodded briskly, “It’s how we learn Bow. Make mistakes, right? And maybe just… some alone time will help.  _ Proper _ alone.. For a bit. Call me if they find anything.”

She left the building, thoughts a whirl. She felt she was skewing her priorities after the early morning - a plan had been in place,  _ see the site, track the Aura, get the demons _ ,  _ find out what was going on _ . Except that sudden gut punch of emotional residue had knocked her, left her feeling  _ very _ isolated.

Because Adora had suffered for some reason.

And Catra, again, hadn’t been there.

But  _ Glimmer _ had. Glimmer had helped her, in some sick way.  _ Glimmer _ had stood shoulder to shoulder….

So maybe Catra was owed something else? Maybe SHE needed that balance as well!

The dark thoughts clouded her mind as she practically stalked to the coffee shop. Passers by scuttled out of her way, suddenly deathly afraid, but not knowing  _ why _ . It was still relatively early and Catra paused as she passed the window. The reflection made her freeze as she took in her looks - wild eyed, frizzy hair, tense shoulders. SHe blinked and drew a breath.

Being more  _ human _ was clearly impacting her, reigned in powers be  _ damned _ . With a slowly, deliberate movement, she smoothed her hair back over her human-ears, then brushed down her white suit. Around her, flinching humans relaxed and exchanged confused glances. The Dominion drew a breath and stepped into the cafe. A familiar set of green eyes met hers and she pushed a smile onto her face.

The Air hostess stood from her seat and Catra paused. The woman was wearing something quite different - a set of leggings and a purple off the shoulder sweater - it was casual but also  _ sensual _ . She smiled at Catra and the expression had an  _ edge _ to it - anticipation.

“I was worried you’d stand me up, Plane Girl. Catra? Well, I owe  _ you _ a name. Fiona.”

Catra nodded and approached, then paused awkwardly in front of the girl. The hostess seemed amused as Catra held out a hand, “Yes, Catra. Um… A pleasure to meet you Fiona.”

The girl leaned in, “I hope you’ll do more than just meet me….”

The Dominion blinked, then looked at the table, “Shall we um… shall we sit?” she practically threw herself into the single seat and folded her hands in her lap, then looked around, “Or…. do I need to get the kafveh?”

The hostess - Fiona - frowned for a moment, then smirked, “No, I thought you’d just want black anyway. Was hoping it’d be to  _ go _ ,” For a moment, Catra half expected the girl to flop into her lap, but instead Fiona just moved to the chair opposite and sat herself. She crossed a leg and grinned,”And I was worried I’d gone and scared you off. But I’ve learned it pays to be patient. And you seem… different.”   


Catra nodded slowly and managed a smile in return, “Quite different.”

“So, I guess you’re a bit traditional? Wanting the whole small talk thing?” A server came by and deposited their coffees. Fiona picked hers up and peered at Catra over the rim, “Or is it more about prolonging the anticipation?”

Catra plucked her own cup and stared into the black depths, then back up at those green eyes.  _ Not blue _ . She shrugged, “I want to see where my moods take me. They brought me here.”

“Oh, mysterious! White suit, all power play? But not too overbearing…. “

“You’re used to more demanding souls?”

Fiona laughed, “Oh yeah. Handsy, bossy assholes. Think they own you. But I saw you talk to Ms Salineas. I saw how you just…  _ got _ what you wanted. And then you went to putty around me and… well, that does a girl something for her ego. So, here we are. Better to chance it, y’know?”

“More than you realise,” muttered Catra, but she managed to maintain a smile. The girl seemed  _ interesting  _ at least. Plucky, perhaps, “So, you’ve explored the world?”

Fiona shrugged, “Oh yeah, airports. Not quite the glam life I wanted, but I get out. Manage a few long breaks. See interesting people. Have my fun. Can’t complain…”

They chatted idly for a bit, Fiona leaning forwards more, Catra radiating polite interest. That initial spark of closeness, that draw seemed muted, however. The girl was intense, yes… but also fairly…

Mundane.

Once past that ardour, that draw, she was a mortal with fairly fickle views and goals. A single minded approach to fulfilling her desire. For her part, though, Fiona seemed  _ very _ intrigued with Catra, the Dominion’s rather evasive stance, coupled with her natural smirk seemingly a draw. After half an hour, FIona cocked her head to one side and frowned.

“Just so you know, this isn’t a love story for the ages. I’m here for one thing,” she was all business. Her face set, determined. Catra blinked, her mind suddenly intrigued and concerned. Her stomach did a flip and then plummeted as  _ guilt _ reared again.

“Oh and… what’s that?” Catra’s voice came out breathy. Which she didn’t want, she realised. Fiona smiled, her eyes suddenly smouldering with a familiar, base emotion. She stood and stalked around the coffee table. Her hands, soft but firm, held Catra’s jaw and she leaned in.

Their lips touched.

_ Salt flecked the air as the Trireme skudded across the waves. Catra laughed as a sailor leaned in to whisper something in her ear. Across the deck, men sang songs and moved ropes. Lips grazed her own and Catra smirked at the joking sailor who had just tried it on. He was a strapping sort. Handsome. Charming. She’d seen him fell a Spartan with a single thrust of his spear the day prior. He was a worthy companion, for sure. _

_ Eyes bored into her from across the deck and she looked up. _

_ Athena lounged, arms folded, against the mast. Those blue-grey eyes held something else for a moment, then the other woman stood and stalked to the stern. Catra frowned and pushed away from her seat on a stack of chests. The sailor called after her, but she ignored him, concern in her breast. _

_ The stern was empty and she glanced to the sky, where she could make out wings against the clouds. She huffed, crouched, then launched after the figure. _

_ “Adora!” ahead, the wings flapped lazily, then turned. _

_ Athena paused, “Catra?” _

_ “Where are you going? Just… abandoning the fleet?” _

_ The blonde goddess stared at her as they hung in the Mediterranean sun, then smiled, “Catra, this is your day, your role. You should enjoy. Indulge. I was feeling a bit… well, I wasn’t needed. And that’s not a bad thing! I’ve done my bit.” _

_ Catra cocked her head, “Something’s bothering you.” _

_ Adora…. Athena… shook her head, “Nothing I can’t get past. I fear my melancholy will drag you down, so… go back, enjoy. I’m sorry for dragging you away. That’s… I should have bade you fare winds, rather than slip away. I didn’t want to disturb,” _

_ “Ok, now you sound like you did. Talk to me, Adora.” _

_ Adora huffed, “Catraaaa. Don’t worry. I do have things to do. So, please, I’m sorry. I’m sure it looks like I’m… being petulant. But this is me. So go! Enjoy! You have earned it,” that smile was so warm, so gentle. It seemed genuine. Catra frowned and drifted closer. _

_ “You sure?” _

_ Adora nodded and placed a hand on her shoulder, “I’m sure. Now, off you go. I’ll catch up later. Just feel the need to spread my wings.” _

_ Catra watched her go, watched her dive and surge low over the waves. Seeing her fly made something in her chest flicker. Seeing her leave made it flutter differently. Her gaze drifted to the ships. She had a choice…. _

_ She chose the boats. It felt wrong. On her return to the deck, she drank, she laughed… but she slept alone. _

Catra jerked back and blinked. Her emotions rattled in her chest, an echo. It had felt wrong then, to choose a different path.

This felt wrong now.

The lips were warm, sensual, but  _ wrong _ . Why were they  _ wrong _ ?

She saw Fiona’s confused gaze and adjusted herself to try to kiss her again, but her heart wasn’t there. She broke away a moment later and sighed, her head bowed. “I am sorry Fiona… today is…. A bad day clearly.”

The hostess looked strange - a mix of anger and hurt, “What, this was your bi-test, huh?”

Catra blinked, “Um… what?”

“I thought you were different, but this was, what, a drive by?”

“A… a what now? Look, I am sorry but… I’m…”

“I’m a rebound? Some ex you need to get over so I’m a roll in the hay, huh?”

Catra stiffened, then stood, “A moment ago this wasn’t a  _ love for the ages _ .”

Fiona sniffed, “It…”

“You wanted some fun, fine. I came here to see if it would work. I do not feel I can  _ give you what you want _ . Why am I at fault?” around them the other cafe patrons were both trying to mind their own business  _ and _ listen in intently.

“Who do you think you are?” fumed Fiona, “To just…. Play around like..”   


“Play around? You have thrust yourself at me like a Muse of Aphrodite! What do  _ you _ want?”

The girl lunged at her and swung. The slap made Catra blink. Fiona winced and cradled her hand, then stared, her mouth opening and shutting in shock, “Oh… oh. I uh… uum.”

Catra nodded slowly, “I see. Thank you for the Kafveh. I appear to have... disrupted enough here. My _apologies_. Good day.”

She turned and left the coffee shop at a brisk pace. She felt oddly calm, as if she’d closed the book on something. Gotten an answer. But she wasn’t sure on  _ what _ . Her phone jingled and she sighed, then fished it out. It wasn’t the air hostess, a fact she found faintly disappointing. She answered.

“Yes?”

_ “Catra, you need to get back. Now.” _

The Dominion froze, “You have news?”

“ _ Oh we do.” _

“Where is the demon? Give me a location, I can get there…”

“ _ That’s why we need you back.” _

Catra frowned, “I don’t understand…”

“ _ She’s right. Out. Side.” _

Catra broke into a sprint. Trees fluttered as she dashed past. People’s newspapers billowed out of their hands as they sat on park benches. She turned a corner and found herself in the plaza in front of the office building they were using. Her eyes searched the grounds as she moved carefully across the paved square. People were going about their business, a coffee stall seemed to be doing good business.

Then a suited man stumbled into a jogger. Voices were raised. A fist flew and connected. Catra turned towards the altercation and paused.

A figure leaned against a familiar motorcycle, gaze on the brawl only a few yards away from her. She was draped over it, arms over the crossbars. Catra sighed and stalked over. She inhaled and let her aura expand out. The fighting men stumbled back and seemed embarrassed. But the tension remained in the air. Catra pushed past them and the two men stumbled away from one another, confused. The figure turned her blond-crowned head towards Catra and blue eyes fixed on her. The woman arched an eyebrow and smirked mirthlessly, then rolled her shoulders lazily. Catra could see the corset appeared to not just be sleeveless, but also partially  _ backless _ .

Her stomach did another flip. But this one didn’t lead to a leaden stomach, oddly.

“Catra.”

“Hey, Adora.”

“What, not laying down the law?”

The Dominion glanced about then crossed her arms, “All alone? Where’s your  _ partner?” _

Adora tilted her head and her eyes shifted to Catra’s cheek, “Where’s yours….” she drifted off, “Are you  _ hurt _ ?” she stood up from the bike, “What happened? Who did it?” Around them, the temperature shifted and heat bloomed. Catra held up both hands.

“Woa! It’s ok. Just… a misunderstanding. And I guess I’m…. shit I’m human enough,” she tensed, about to shift into  _ go-time Angel. _ Adora’s glare subsided and she snorted.

“Relax, Catra. If I wanted to fight you I would be all business right now. And maybe I’d have just done a pre-emptive strike against your little army up there.”

Catra glanced up at the building and shrugged, “It’d be like you to stand in the open and just ask for a duel, though.”

“Yeah, maybe. Once upon a time.”

“So, why  _ are _ you here? Thought you didn’t want to talk to an  _ assassin _ .”

Adora stared at her and then shrugged, that roll of bare skin doing strange things to Catra’s chest all over again, “I’m not keen on the idea. But I don’t see any Powers ripping up the town, or mom kicking over mountains, so I assume you’re being  _ on the level _ as the kids say. For now.”

“So… what does that mean?”

“It means, Catra…. Maybe we can talk. You guys haven’t been subtle. You made the late night news, y’know? I was at least sensible enough to  _ not _ be blatant in Iran. Oh I was dumb and angry, but not  _ clueless _ .”

Catra snorted, “I wasn’t clueless. We just… had to get our bearings.”

Adora looked up at the building behind Catra and gave a mock little wave. Clearly they had an audience, “What’s with the Cherub anyway? Gave Glimmer the runaround, give him that much. You two a…. Thing?”

The question had  _ weight _ to it. Curiosity, detached, almost purposefully indifferent. But there was a coldness to the words and Catra felt an urge to answer it - not charmspeak, no external _pressure,_ but rather something inside her rushed to clarify, “He’s a good friend. Was there when… you weren’t. But, no. Not a  _ thing _ whatever that means.”

Adora arched an eyebrow, “I think you know.”

“What, like you and the Seraphs daughter? Little Princess gone bad?”

The blond cocked her head and narrowed her gaze, then she smiled. A faintly goofy grin, “You’re jealous?”

“What? NO! I said I don’t  _ like _ you. You’re… this is… This is all  _ wrong _ .”

Adora leaned forward on the bike to rest her chin on her crossed arms, her spine arching slightly. She grinned wider, “Uh huh. Alright, take your word for it. And  _ no _ .”

“No?” Catra frowned.

“No. Glimmer is not my  _ paramour _ . My lost Juliet or whatever. She’s been… helpful. Saved me enough times,” Adora’s gaze darkened briefly, “Mainly from myself. But… that’s not your problem, is it?”

Catra felt stung and reassured at the same time. She wasn’t quite sure why on either count, “Ok… you’re going to have to explain that.”

Adora nodded idly, her eyes lidded, “Probably. Seeing as you barely seemed clued up. So, why aren’t I dead yet?”

The Dominion ran her hand through her hair and only noticed Adora’s stare as she finished. She arched an eyebrow and the demon gave her a lopsided grin, “Because… I need to know  _ more _ . And damn you demons for tempting us with… I mean…”

“I’m  _ tempting _ am I?”

“I didn’t say…”

“What?”

“Not… like…”

“I didn’t… I didn’t say anything,” deadpanned Adora. Catra glared at her, then huffed, a faint smile on her face.

“Shut up,” She chided the blonde demon. Adora mimed a zip over her mouth, “Look, Adora, I haven’t a clue what happened with you. By Mara, that’s the truth. DON’T wince, she’s your mom, I can’t change that. But… look, Angella sent me here to track potential demon activity. You’ve avoided them for long enough, they’re…  _ we’re _ onto you. And… “

“And?”

“And If I give up, they’ll just send more. If it’s me, maybe I can….help?”

Adora blinked slowly, “That’s sweet. You’d jump into fire for me, huh?”

Catra breathed out heavily and glared at the demon, “You’re insufferable.”

“What else is new?”

“The horns, for one. Also, the whole  _ rage _ thing… What  _ happened _ Adora?”

The demon shifted and tensed, then blinked, “A lot of things, Catra.”

“Then  _ talk _ to me.”

Adora arched her back and straightened. Catra’s mind fizzed for a moment at the movement as Adora tilted her head the other way and her long blond hair cascaded over one arm, “I will… but not  _ here _ .”

The demon glanced up at the sound of wings. Bow landed with a thud next to Catra, bow drawn, arrow nocked. Adora smirked. Catra slapped a hand over her face, “Bow, you  _ suck _ at timing.”   


“I saw her…. Arch. I thought…” he paused, then looked at Catra. Then he looked at Adora. Then he looked at his chest. The gem pulsed, rhythmically, like a heartbeat. His gaze went back to Catra, “A  _ demon _ , Catra? Seriously?”

Adora mused and nodded slowly, then smirked at the Dominion, “Yeah Catra…  _ seriously?” _

There was a flash of purple-black glitter and a glowering, diminutive woman appeared next to the bike, quarterstaff in hand. Bow’s gaze flicked to her and he shifted his aim. He stared at the purple haired girl and swallowed. She glared back, but her eyes flicked up and down his form for a moment.

Bow’s chest gem  _ strobed _ . Catra looked at him and deadpanned in a monotone, “A demon, Bow. Seriously?”

Silence fell and the Adora coughed, “So, we going to Mexican standoff all day or…. Beers, later maybe?”

Glimmer shifted her glare from Bow to Adora, “You want to  _ talk _ with them? STILL? I said it was a bad idea! They’ve probably got, like, a hundred Powers ready to lay the smack down….”

Adora looked up and around, then frowned, “An archangel, a Seer and some Magi… oh and another Archangel who is…. Last I checked…. Rather occupied. Repeatedly. Also, kinda  _ vocal _ . But that was half an hour ago.”

Catra blinked, “You are… well informed.”

Adora shrugged, “You know me, reconnaissance. So, how about we  _ adjourn _ for now. Then let’s have a  _ parlay,” _ she grinned again, “Always wanted to use that word.”

Glimmer sighed, “Adora,  _ focus _ .”

“Oh shush. Alright. Parlay. Tonight, seven. At the Thaymor Bar and Grill. We can get surf and turf. And…. reminisce. You’ll  _ love _ their salmon steak, Catra. Trust me,” Adora ran a hand through her hair and gave another shrug, “That good? No tricks, no ambush. Just… trust. We hear you out. You hear us out. We see….how we go forward? And I promise to not start any bar brawls or make anyone get divorced.”

Bow frowned in consternation, “You can  _ do _ that?”

Adora shrugged, “Yep. Side effect. Bit annoying if you just want to talk to people. Buuuut I work with it. So…. later. Nice seeing you Catra…”

Glimmer made a ‘got my eyes on you’ gesture to Catra, then vanished. Adora sat up on the bike, revved the engine and gave a wink to the Dominion. Then, with a roar, she peeled the vehicle away, past blaring cars that honked as she swerved between them, before she vanished down the road.

Bow and Catra stood in silence for a moment. Then the Cherub coughed, “So. Um. That was her?”

“Yep.”   


“The missing…”

“Yep.”

“The one you…”

“ _ YEP.” _

Silence descended. Bow coughed again, “What. The FUCK. Just happened?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your comments give me LIFE.
> 
> Let me know what y'all think! I quite like the flow of this one.
> 
> So, now... MOST of the drama dealt with.... now just the rocky minefield of rekindling connections and the exploration of BETRAYAL by family figures.
> 
> Also, Lightspinner being a top notch, supportive and entirely HEALTHY individual will be explored in subsequent chapters.


	14. The power of four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Complexities expand for their situation - politics!
> 
> A call from the boss puts tension at the heart of things.
> 
> A reunion of sorts....

This was  _ not _ a position Dominion Catra, of the Fourth Chorus, Herald of the Glory of the Tenth Chapters, Messenger of on High and Vanguard of the End times, was used to being in. She was sat on a strange, swivelling chair and she felt  _ scolded _ . Abashed, almost.

Bow leaned against a pillar next to her, hands against his temples. He hadn’t stopped making a low pitched whine for about fifteen minutes. Lonnie sat on a desk nearby and had a slightly concerned frown on her face. Frosta was…. Well Frosta was pivoting between shock and abject  _ glee _ .

And Mermista was  _ venting _ . She’d arrived about ten minutes after Adora’s departure, hair strangely messy and with a frazzled but grinning Seahawk in tow. She didn’t seem to care about the mortal’s perceptions once she’d made her way to the office floor and been confronted by the fact (From Frosta) that it was  _ Adora _ who they were tracking.

And then it’d turned out (From short deduction) that Catra had known. Not for much longer, of course, but had still known and  _ not told them _ .

Right now, Mermista was pacing. She had railed mostly incoherently for about five minutes, had to be fanned by Seahawk for three then made vaguely annoyed growling noises for a further minute. Right now she was laying into Catra, decorum or protocol be damned.

“...n’t think it’d be, like  _ useful  _ to the rest of us to,  _ maybe _ understand that,  _ like _ , we’re dealing with  _ ATHENA _ . A War Goddess. And. And. AAAAAND! TINY detail. SMIDGEN of importance…” she spaced her hands apart, “ _ Daughter of. Fucking. God. _ ”

The magi had withdrawn to the other side of the room and were trying to pretend to be busy whilst also listening in intently. Frosta grinned and nodded, “So. AWESOME.”

Catra had her arms crossed. Her wings were also out, slightly curved around herself as she scowled off to one side. She huffed and managed a slight shrug, “Wasn’t my first thought,  _ no. _ ”

Mermista made an  _ uuuuuuuugh _ sound and flung her hands down, “She could  _ end _ any of the Earthbound. Like,  _ literally _ . No issues. BAM SMASH  _ no return! _ Do not pass Go, do not collect eternal reward. And she’s playing for the other  _ team _ ? HOW? WHY? Did you  _ know _ ? Is there another war that no one TOLD us about? Cos, actually, that  _ wouldn’t _ surprise me.”

Catra ruffled her wings and managed another shrug, “No war. And,  _ no _ I didn’t  _ know _ this before I arrived. I’m as shocked as…”

“NUH UH! You KNEW like, days ago. And still,  _ still _ risked  _ my _ people.”

The Dominion rolled her eyes, “It’s ADORA she wouldn’t…”

“She’s a DEMON!” yelled Mermista.

Lonnie shifted and winced, not meeting Catra’s gaze, “And y’all saw that town. That  _ was _ her.”

Catra spread her wings and huffed again. SHe felt angry at Lonnie, but couldn’t maintain the ire. The girl was  _ right _ after all, “I  _ know _ … which is why…”

“Which is why we need you to get  _ rid _ of her. Do your JOB and GO AWAY!” groaned Mermista, “Leave us to just… get on. We were doing  _ fine _ …”

That got a laugh from Catra, “Really? All those ‘little things’ you missed. You missed HER being here for DECADES. You missed corrupted towns, broken morals, shattered places. What are you even  _ doing _ Mermista?”

“LIVING!” shrieked the sea-goddess, “Because you lot, up there, don’t give a  _ damn _ .”

The Dominion leaned forwards, “Funny… Adora said the same thing.”

Silence fell. Mermista blinked and worked her jaw, “I am  _ not _ a demon. I am  _ not _ a traitor. You… you talking to her….”

“Never said you were, fish-girl. But… I didn’t exactly want to start a full scale gladiatorial… what’s the word, Frosta?”

“Smack down.”

“Ah yes… whap down…” Frosta face palmed, “in the middle of a city. AS you said…. You want me to be  _ subtle _ .”

Mermista sagged and glared at the Dominion, “This gets worse every… and  _ why _ is Bow being a broken smoke alarm?”

Catra rolled her eyes and slapped at Bow with her wing. He shuddered and straightened. His chest gem was not flashing as often but it still glowed like a stoked ember, “What? I was listening. Of course. No existential crisis here. Nuh uh!”

“Whatever. This…  _ why _ Catra? This is HEAVY. It puts us all at risk. This is… I can’t believe you dragged us  _ into _ this.”   


“I didn’t drag anyone. This is  _ your _ jurisdiction. And I will solve this. I need to.”

“You need to get rid of her! She can make a  _ whole town go postal _ . Without TRYING! I  _ know _ Adora too, you know. I remember the wars, remember what she can DO. I saw her during the Fall. She decides she gets  _ bored _ now she’s drank the darkness Kool Aid? We are… ugggh. So  _ boned _ .”

Seahawk perked up but she slapped him. For his part, he seemed to be taking all this in stride. Catra blinked and gestured at the mortal. Mermista gave a defeated shrug. That seemed to be the only forthcoming answer. Surprisingly, it was Lonnie who interjected next. She spoke quietly.

“So, why  _ didn’t _ you take her?”

“I thought I answered that. Didn’t want a battle in…”

“I mean  _ before _ . She’s your…. Missing friend, right?”

Catra’s wings pulled closer around her again and she averted her gaze, “Yeah, maybe.”

“So… can you take her at all? Shouldn’t we, I’unno, call in your friends upstairs? The ones who don’t treat us like ants, I mean”

Mermista made a face then ran her hands through her long, black hair, “Hate to say it but, like, we got  _ lucky _ with drama queen here. She listens… sort of. I know some of the others are  _ old school _ . Well, most of the others,” she glared at Catra, “Though why you didn’t just….”

“They want to kill  _ her _ , ok?” Catra burst out. Her jaw clamped shut as she said it and she tightened her arms around her chest. Mermista’s frown deepened and Frosta frowned.

“What?”

The Dominion sighed and leveled a tired gaze at Mermista, “She said she didn’t fall… she implied she was  _ pushed _ . That… that  _ Mara _ tried to have her killed.”

There were concerned looks shared all around. Bow swallowed, “Uh… that’s… that’s….”

Mermista shook her head and whispered, “ _ Blasphemy _ .”

Catra shrugged, “Maybe. I don’t believe  _ that _ …. But I do think there’s more to this,” she gestured at the tables of evidence, “She’s not gone on a rampage, not major ones. She self isolates. There’s…  _ something _ going on. So, way I see it, our choices are,” she held a finger up, “One, go and start a mini armageddon bringing my power, your powers and whatever Heaven can send to tackle her…. Because we  _ may _ need it. If this is a ploy, then be sure Shadow Weaver has other agents active.”

Mermista winced and gripped her left arm nervously, “Yeah that sound, uhhhh, kinda sucky.”

Seahawk made a musing expression, “An epic showdown between good and evil? What an ADVEN-” Mermista released her arm and slapped a hand over his face.

“Just. No.”

Catra nodded sarcastically, “Yeah, we could just call up Light Hope now, save time. She’d just drop a rock from space on the town  _ then _ do a cleanup.”

Bow whimpered, “I didn’t know you guys can do that…”

“Seraphs are…. Orders of magnitude powerful,” Catra shrugged, “Best not pick a fight. Or get in the crossfire. Which leads me to option  _ two _ .”

Frosta raised a hand, “Hate to, um… suggest, cos, y’know  _ BRUNHILDE!  _ And, I kinda wanna say hi buuut…  _ sneak attack _ ?”

Bow winced, “Sounds… evil?”

The group considered it for a moment but Catra snorted, “Unlikely. For one, I think she’s kinda expecting us to  _ try _ ….” she tried to keep the disappointment out of her voice. How bad had things gotten that Adora might even think Catra capable of that? And then she realised they were actually talking through the option. Frosta nodded slowly.

“S… multiple attack avenues…. Got it…”

“NO!” Catra stood up and  _ everyone _ took a step back. She inhaled and allowed her wings to settle down, “No. We are not  _ assassinating _ Mara’s  _ daughter _ . Because, and here’s the wonderful political complexity, what if it turns out  _ Mara _ didn’t want her daughter dead. Who wants to be the one to explain to  _ the creator of all things _ that you found her missing daughter then  _ ended her _ ?”

Frosta’s eyes widened and she shrank back. Mermista paled. Bow started keening again. Lonnie just stared at Catra, “She’d…. Do what?”   


Catra looked at the seer and shrugged, “She got angry one time and we ended up with a Celestial war that resulted in the extinction of seventeen sentient species across five realities. And that wasn’t even that personal. Do that math, Seer. You want to be on  _ this _ planet when she finds Adora’s body?”

Lonnie kept her gaze on her, “And, hypothetically speaking, what if she  _ does _ want her daughter dead?”

Catra flinched, as did  _ all _ the angels. But the Dominion gave it some thought, “Then she’s cold as anything… but do you think she’d want someone  _ powerful enough _ to kill her daughter hanging around?”

The Seer blinked and swallowed. Mermista groaned again, “So. Boned.”

Bow coughed, “We are, um…. Missing out on the other one….” he winced as Catra turned an innocent and open face to him.

“Oh really Bow? Which one was that? Not my old sister in arms, warrior of a thousand battles…? Who else… hmmm…” her face went slack and deadpan, “Oh yeah, the jumpy pink one. Who  _ appears to be your one true love _ .”

“Sh...shut up! She’s a demon, clearly this thing is fritzing and I’m outta whack and… and.” Mermista was now staring at Bow.

“Woa. Wait. WHAT? Like, you’re  _ both _ gonna get it on with demons….?”

“Hey now no…”

“No I didn’t say…”

“WHATEVER! SEAHAWK. Three bottles of the good stuff. Stat. I need to pretend to be drunk for the next bit.”

Catra glared at the Archangel as Seahawk practically skipped away, “Option  _ two _ . We learn. We understand. And…. maybe we can  _ talk _ them into going. Before this  _ escalates _ .”

“And if that doesn’t work?”

The Dominion slumped back and swallowed, “Then… I have to do my duty,”

Lonnie folded her arms and glanced over to the scroll circle, “You gonna tell them upstairs? Or you, Mermista?”

The Archangel and Dominion shared a look, then shook their heads. The Earthbound sighed, “I think the Dominion may be right on this, Mara save me for admitting that. We tell them too much, with what Catra’s implying… we could end up with something approaching armageddon early. Or at the very least  _ more _ Dominions kicking around in a free for all.”

Catra nodded, “And if there is a conspiracy? Or someone trying to kill her? We’re in that aforementioned crossfire. I think we find out more, then ….. Then we try to tell them. And maybe just…. Step  _ very far _ back.”

The Seer was still staring at Catra, “And you ain’t too close to this? What’s stopping  _ you _ changing sides?”

Silence again as Catra counted to ten. She managed a small smile, “Because I know Shadow Weaver lies. I know where my loyalties lie. And because I do my  _ Mara damned JOB,”  _ she spread her arms, “Why am I even explaining myself to a….”

_ “Monkey?” _ sneered Lonnie. Bow stepped forward.

“Hey, HEY! Calm down. Alright, we’re on edge… maybe  _ that’s _ their plan? Demons do discord right? What’s happening here, now?”

Mermista paused and shared an uneasy glance with Catra. Lonnie looked away but nodded. The Dominion for her part heaved a sigh and turned away, “Bow’s right. This isn’t helping. And…. for the record…. I am conflicted, Lonnie.”

The Seer nearly fell off the table in surprise, “Say what now?”

“I’ve known Adora longer than most species have existed. So, yeah… I’m torn. But if she wants to bring the world down, cause harm? I can’t... I won’t let her. Lightspinner…. She was a mentor of mine, y’know? And Adora… and we still struck her down. So, yes I’m conflicted. But I’m  _ also _ a Dominion. And I will do my duty. And then I will have to  _ live _ with it.”

Lonnie met her gaze, then nodded before looking away. Maybe she saw the pain in Catra’s eyes. The hurt. The fear.

The inevitability.

Mermista cleared her throat, “So…. your great interrogation is what…? A  _ date _ ?”   


“What do fruits have to do with this?” murmured Catra. Frosta twitched. Bow rolled his eyes.

“They think we’re  _ courting _ them.”

“It is merely a parlay over a meal. Breaking bread. A common law of hospitality."   


Frosta opened her mouth, likely to make a pertinent contribution, when a shout echoed from the circle. Kyle was waving from it, “ _ Catra! CATRAAAA!” _

“Mara damn it Kyle,  _ what?” _

“ _ Light Hope! She… she’s coming and she wants to talk. NOW!” _

Catra felt her blood run cold. She looked around the room, “Clear out.  _ Now _ .”

Mermista blinked, looked at the circle, then nodded and began to usher the magi out. Bow frowned, “Why?”

“Because she is formal as all Heavens, thinks mortals are little more than chess pieces and won’t talk to anyone not in her direct chain of command. She barely tolerates archangels. Surprised she gave Kyle an indicator.”   


“The boy  _ is  _ observant,” he patted her on the shoulder, then followed the rest of the group out. Catra rolled her shoulders, then pushed out a little more power. Her wings glowed and her clothing smoothed out. With a wave, the windows all around tinted and darkened, concealing the world beyond. She stood next to the circle and waited.

A few moments later, a figure stepped carefully into the bounds of the construct. Tall, with a set of blue wings and a hooded robe, Light Hope was an imposing figure. Her robe concealed her limbs, more cloak than mere robe and it was inlaid with sliding, golden script that traced along the surface. Her skin was dark, her eyes bleach white. When she spoke, her voice was calm, businesslike.

_ “Dominion Catra. Your updates are… unsettling.” _

“Seraph Light Hope. I see we are moving straight to the complex issues.”

_ “Indeed. I doubt we need to go over the minutiae of your excursion. May I commend you on this… invention, however. It will expedite activities.” _

“Quite. Interactions with the Earthbound Arch-”

_ “Are of little consequence. They are little more than demons. We will likely revisit their role in due course, pending the successful completion of this task. Which, I note, is still pending.” _

“We have identified two demon signatures. We have a current plan to entrap and assault. But we are conducting additional reconnaissance to ensure minimal collateral damage.”   


Light Hope’s expression didn’t really  _ change _ \- she had the look of a well sculpted statue. She had never really been a part of any  _ pantheon _ , but her visage had often trickled down as a sort of beatific, androdygnous being. If only the mortals knew….

“ _ The main priority is the elimination of the demonic threat and to ensure the security of heaven. Collateral damage is irrelevant.” _

Catra frowned, “Why?”

Light Hope flickered faintly, “ _ That question is nonsensical.” _

“No, I mean… if we’re defending the planet and a fight ends up… causing damage…. Isn’t that a failure of my mission?”

The Seraph paused, then spoke  _ “The priority is the elimination of…” _

“Yes, I am aware, ma’am,” Catra tried to maintain a sense of respectful attentiveness, but it was  _ difficult _ , “But… Seraph Angella advised that…”

_ “Seraph Angella is no longer the de facto responsible agent in this operation. This has fallen to me, by the blessing of Mara. And your priority is…” _

“Um, sorry to interrupt again, but Seraph Angella specifically told me that I wasn’t to cause undue problems. And, well, the Earthbound have those as standing orders, apparently. From Mara. Can you clarify that  _ your _ orders supersede Mara’s?”

The Seraph flickered again as she pondered this, “ _ This will need to be clarified _ .”

Catra nodded enthusiastically, “Of course, of course. I just… I just don’t want to, you know,  _ overstep _ and get in trouble. With Mara. You understand, ma’am?”

_ “You also realise continued failure will likely result in your being recalled. We will have to step in directly.” _

The Dominion smiled, “Well, of course. And I am sure that you will be effective at tracking a demon that escaped observation for several decades. And I’m sure you’ll be eager to co-operate with the Earthbound, who have assisted, along with the mortal loyalist?”

_ “We will step in and we will nullify the threat. Catra, your orders are explicit and clear.” _

“Ma’am… is there a time limit here?”

_ “You are expected to expedite the removal of the demon, forthwith. _ ”

Catra ran a hand through her hair, “Why is this so urgent? Is there something you aren’t telling me? More information  _ would _ be useful. If it  _ helps _ …”

_ “You need only know that removal of this demonic presence is essential. The threat posed is a herald of a potential End Time scenario. We wish to ensure the Plan is enacted.” _

The Plan was a weird Seraph… document, for want of a better word - guidelines on various major events, prophecy, the like. Great heralds, actions of import and the eventual armageddon of various worlds. If Adora was tied to the Plan, then in what way? Some of the Angels were a bit too  _ keen _ on the idea, slaves to the concept almost. Catra had found it a bit… too much. Duty and having a role was one thing; sacrificing autonomy in service to that? That was a step too far.

Light Hope was clearly on the far end of such a scale however. Catra kept her smile formal, “The enaction of the plan? Or ensuring it is not enacted too soon?”

Light Hope’s gaze never wavered, “ _ Removal of the demonic presence is essential. Expedite this. We will assist if the challenge is too much. Your identification of a third demonic presence is also unsettling.” _

“Hordak is… yes, a weird one. But, as per my reports… we believe he is not of interest to this investigation and…”

_ “Hordak still lives. Hordak should be removed.” _

“No.”

Light Hope folded her hands from under her robe, “ _ Explain.” _

“The demon is secure. If anything, it is  _ no longer demonic _ . In fact,  _ it is no longer part of Prime _ .”

Light Hope actually  _ blinked _ at that, “ _ That is not possible.” _

“Well apparently it  _ is _ . And this gives us a fantastic opportunity to gather  _ intelligence _ . And also… Hordak has helped track the other demonic presences.”   


_ “This could be a ploy. Also, intelligence is not required, we will defeat Prime regardless.” _

Catra ground her teeth, but kept the smile on her face, “We might. But would you rather do it with 10,000 casualties or 1,000?”

_ “We will win….” _

“Ah, ok… no, I am going to play my ‘this is  _ my _ investigation _ ’  _ line here, Ma’am. Hordak is under  _ my _ geas currently. To act against him is to violate my oath. Made under Mara’s name.”

Light Hope never got angry, not visibly so. But she certainly  _ seemed  _ to be fuming on some level. The tension at the corner of her eyes, the way she held her shoulders, “ _ This is folly _ .”

“This is the world, Ma’am. And as I was told to  _ not _ blow too many things up, I’ll keep it to the one you want  _ expidited _ . BUT I will also do that under my  _ own _ steam and  _ also _ with my own methods. Or you can explain to Mara how you interpreted  _ her _ orders,” she exhaled and relaxed, “If…. the demons are too much, I will of course defer to your senior authority. But I am  _ duty bound _ to do this.”

Light Hope’s white eyes bored into Catra. But she nodded, then stepped away and vanished. Catra stayed in place, waiting. It felt like hours but could have just been minutes, before Kyle reappeared.

“ _ She’s… uh she’s gone. You Ok, my Lady?” _

Catra sighed, “Honestly… not sure. Thank you, Coel Hen. That will be all.”

She turned and headed for the stairwell. It practically burst as Mermista and Frosta fell through it, Bow stood just behind. Frosta stared up, “So… we gonna die?”

The Dominion exhaled and looked around the office. She waved her hand again and the windows de-tinted, allowing light back in once more, then shook her head, “Something weird though… wanted Hordak gone, of course. But this demon….  _ Adora. _ She’s keen we remove the threat. FAST”

Mermista frowned, “Well that’s hardly reassuring….”

Catra sighed, then shrugged, “I…. guys I am honestly…..”

The other angels stepped closer. Bow placed a hand on her arm, “We’ve spoken and… we’ll back you. You know Adora….”

“And, like… I get not wanting to ice your ex,” muttered Frosta, “Especially BRUNHILDE!”

“She’s…. She’s not my  _ ex _ .”

Mermista arched an eyebrow, “So it’s a current thing…?”

Catra managed a mirthless laugh, “Not funny. But, if I have to tackle her…. I can rely on you guys?” The trio nodded. Catra blew out a breath, “I… I just hope it doesn’t come to that.”   


The gem on Bow’s chest flickered again and he squeezed Catra’s shoulder harder, “It’ll be ok. I have faith in you.”

Mermista managed a shrug, “And… well… I am  _ not _ happy with that floaty assholes attitude. So, yeah… with you. Even if this is a stupid idea, I’d rather not live on a crater.”

Catra smiled weakly, “Thanks… and, yeah… it’s confusing. SO, um… let’s get ready for this… prune?”   


Frosta made a frustrated squeak, “I SWEAR…..”

\--------

The car rolled to a stop outside of Thaymor Bar and Grill. Lonnie gripped the steering wheel and drew in slow breaths, then looked in the rear view mirror, “You sure? About all this? I mean… what if you have to, y’know?”

Catra adjusted herself in the back seat and grimaced, “I.. don’t really know. Just pretty sure I go down, then Light Hope will just air drop about the Century’s of Powers down here and…. This corner of this continent becomes uninhabitable for about two generations,” she turned a grimace on Lonnie, “But no demon, hey?”

The Seer sighed and rested her forehead against the steering wheel, “This just… sucks. I just have a real bad feeling.”   


Next to her, Bow let out a low whistle, “Hey, we knew this’d be challenging. Just not on this level. We can handle it, trust us. And we’ll make sure they don’t… get out of hand.”   


Lonnie snorted, “Yeah, we’ll see.”

The two senior angels clambered out of the vehicle and peered at the bar. It was a standalone building at the edge of town, with a decent sized parking lot.

Which was completely deserted save for a few motorbikes. WHich included a  _ very _ specific motorbike among their number. 

The building itself looked like a log cabin, with some fret work and almost European design features. A porch, outdoor seating, chimneys…. It was  _ quaint _ with its mish mash of architectures. Outside, a few bikers lounged and chatted, but straightened as they spotted the angels. The eyes tracked the pair as they approached, but the group said nothing. Catra ignored them and strode up the steps into the bar proper.

Inside they found a fairly wide space with booths and large tables scattered throughout. A bar lined the back wall, with tvs hanging above it, showing a number of sports and talking heads.

The place was also completely deserted, except for a large booth over to one side.

They spotted Glimmer first, who was sat ram-rod straight with her arms crossed, facing the door. She glowered at them as they approached, though her gaze seemed to track more towards Bow. Catra tried to hide the smirk - maybe they had an ace in the hole. That advantage evaporated as they drew level with the booth and found Adora sprawled on the booth bench opposite Glimmer. She was staring at the ceiling, chewing a toothpick, head resting on one hand, whilst the other drummed rhythmically against the table.

Her grey-blue eyes tracked down and locked onto Catra and a slow grin spread onto her face. Slowly, the demon pushed herself up on her elbows and tilted her head to one side, “Hey Catra. Wondered if you’d show.”

“Not much faith in me, huh Adora?”

Those blue eyes studied Catra in a way that made her feel uncomfortable in a rather  _ sinful _ way, “I’m fifty/fifty right now. I mean, tick in the box that I’m not having to punch some of our old buddies in a poorly thought out ambush….”

Catra sighed and splayed her hands, “You said parlay, I have come to parlay. To  _ understand _ . But also to…”

“Yeah yeah, law down the law,” Adora shrugged, which drew Catra’s eyes to her shoulders. Then the demon swung her legs out under the booth table, which drew Catra’s eyes to the  _ hip windows _ on the damn corset and trouser combo.

She needed to keep her head in the game. She’d seen Adora in far less before and it hadn’t  _ bothered _ her… had it? Or was it something else? Was it because now she didn’t have such easy access or visibility?

“You gonna stare all night or sit, kitty litter?” sneered Glimmer from across the table. Catra rolled her eyes and smiled at the pink haired girl.

“They do child portions here, do they?”

“Adora, can I punch her? Just once.”   


“ _ Glimmer _ . Play nice,” Adora’s voice came out with a faint rumble and the purple haired girl huffed and looked away. The blonde shrugged and gestured to the seat next to her, “Alright, lets get this party… um… started,” then she slid a menu over to Catra, “We asked the manager nicely and he let us have the place to ourselves. Very agreeable.”   


Catra stared at her, “You just charmed him, right?”

“YEP! Wanted some privacy and, well, I know you probably didn’t want bystanders if you wanted to try something,” Adora cocked her head, “Are you going to try something?”

Catra met her eyes and arched an eyebrow, “Don’t know. You want me to?”

Adora actually blinked in mild surprise, then grinned wider, “There we go! HEY! GARCON! Four beers!”

A waiter bustled over with three full glasses and set them down, his stare faintly glassy eyed. Adora smiled at him and nodded, then leaned back into the corner of the booth, one arm across the back rest, her biceps briefly flexing as she adjusted. Catra watched her whilst across from them Bow sat awkwardly next to Glimmer. The pair watched Adora and Catra like hawks, until the Dominion turned to the two of them, “Look, can you guys,.... Entertain each other?”

Bow and Glimmer exchanged a glance, “Talk to a demon….”

“Talk to a  _ cherub?” _

“HEY! What’s wrong with Cherubs?”

“What’s wrong with  _ demons _ . I didn’t  _ choose _ to be like this…”

“And I di...wait, what?”

Catra was about to turn back to Adora when she paused to listen. Out of the corner of her eye she could make out Adora staring at her, a faint, goofy smile on the demon’s face. She focused on the other two and tried to ignore the heat in her ears. Bow was leaning back, staring at Glimmer. The purple haired girl was scowling, staring daggers at the table.

“Like I’m going to spill my guts to a pair of….”

Bow held up his hands, “Full disclosure… I’m just, kinda, winging it here….”

Glimmer blinked and then snorted, “Was… was that a joke?”

He grimaced, “Ish? My dads… they tell them like that all the time. So, uh, yeah. I am, kinda. I’m here to help Catra. Or try to. I honestly thought this was gonna be an, um…. Holiday? A break? Cos, well…”   


“Can we not tell the demons about my….” Catra winced, then deflated, “Yeah, this was not what we planned. You two were supposed to be…. Some super sneaky easy demon and then we get  _ royalty _ , basically.”

Adora and Glimmer exchanged a glance, then Adora pouted, “That’s rough. Tough old job. Coming down here, taking a break from mana and basking and….”

Catra looked at her and frowned, “Are we here to talk, or for you to vent at me? Because if you wanted to fight you should have just stabbed me in that alleyway. It’d be  _ easier _ ,” her voice caught but she inhaled and continued, “It’d be…. Simpler. But I’m  _ here _ Adora.”

The demon twitched and nodded, her gaze moving to one side, “Ok, yeah that was…. Unfair. It’s hard, Catra. We’ve been by ourselves a while. Not, y’know, eons, but down here you feel it more,” she picked up her glass and raised it. For a moment, the demon was silent, as if debating something, then she shrugged and proffered the glass in toast, “To a new understanding, if not new beginnings.”

Catra lifted her own glass, shrugged, and clinked it against Adora’s. Again, the blue-eyed demon seemed mildly surprised. Glimmer and Bow followed a moment later and all four took sips. Or rather three of them took sips, whilst Adora drained her glass and slammed it down with a smack of her lips. Glimmer sighed and Catra arched an eyebrow, “Haven’t seen you do that since….”

“Since Jotunheim, I know. Tyr got carried away and needed to be reminded…” Catra laughed as Adora flexed her arm again.

“Ohhh I remember. Thor kept trying to… y’know….”

Adora groaned, “Ugh. Please say he’s improved with time?”

“Actually, yeah. He and Frigga, all loved up, settled down. He’s doing something with the Asgard plane, actually… farming related now. Hasn’t been earthside for a few hundred years.”

“Huh, didn’t see that coming. And was that  _ Frosta _ I saw earlier?”

Catra smirked, “Oh you remember your fangirl?”

Adora’s smile was faintly sad, “Yeah. She was good. Enthusiastic. Heard she was one of the Earthbound - not sure how I feel about that… on the one hand seems to suck SO HARD as a job… but, eh. Having lived here now? I can see the appeal.”

The quartet lapsed into silence and Catra peered into her drink. She huffed and looked between Glimmer and Adora, “Ok, so… we’re here. We aren’t fighting. But we need to talk. There’s…. There’s so much.”

The blonde demon pursed her lips and nodded, then leaned away from Catra to regard her, “Alright, what do  _ you _ want Catra?”

_ You _ ….

She pushed the sudden thought away, confused by it, and focused on the goal at hand, “My task is to…. Identify whether there’s a threat and to remove it. Or it was. Now I’ve been told to focus on getting rid of you.”

“Kill us?” glowered Glimmer. Catra shrugged.

“It’s weird, ok? I was sent here by  _ your mom _ , Sparkles. And now… well, now  _ Light Hope _ is calling the shots.”

Adora tensed and her eyes narrowed, “So…. you are….?”

Catra shook her head, hard, “NO. No. I specifically said this was  _ my _ jurisdiction and that if things  _ got out of hand _ … well, then. So, I want to know what’s going on…..” she turned in her seat and stared at Adora, “ _ Tell me _ . Because…. Because, Mara damn it, part of me believes you, but another part doesn’t. Because you’re a demon, Adora, a  _ Fallen _ . And everything we learned about Shadow Weaver and the Fall was that demons and the minions of Shadow Weaver  _ lie _ .”

The blonde angel stared at her, her own eyes searching Catra’s. She nodded slowly, then spoke whilst still staring at Catra, “Glimmer, you go first. Yours is a shorter story.”

The purple-haired demon huffed, again, “We aren’t all the same. Like how not all angels are the same, right? And I  _ was _ an angel. Just… not the right  _ kind _ apparently.”

Bow was staring at her and he leaned forwards, “Your heart…. It’s aching.”

She shot him a glare but swallowed, “Yeah…. Yeah it is. Don’t go poking in other people’s hearts.”

He smiled ruefully and tapped the gem on his chest, “Can’t help it.”

She glared at him and hunched over the table, “Mom kicked me out. Told me that…. That I needed to let go, that I needed to just  _ get on _ with things. Like she was doing. To grieve. To accept,” she looked up, her gaze challenging Catra to disagree, “But my dad  _ vanished _ . And I couldn’t let that go. So I kept digging and digging and eventually… I confronted mom. Said no one  _ cared _ . No one  _ wanted _ to care. We argued. I said that it was all rotten and… and she said I should experience the world. That if I hated heaven, I should leave. That I was disruptive, imbalancing the  _ harmony _ of the Eternal Throne. So, she banished me, to Earth, to  _ learn _ .”

“Not to hell?” murmured Catra. Glimmer shrugged.

“I took a detour. Landed here, but got yanked down by something. Scarred me, warped my powers a bit. But I fought my way out. I don’t  _ owe allegiance _ to a Prince or anything, if that’s your next question. Except her _.” _

Adora smiled faintly and shrugged, “I helped her fight her way out. We got split up when we got to Earth…. Wandered alone for a bit…. Then met back up here a few years back. America, land of opportunity,” Adora’s voice was bitter. Catra frowned across the table at Glimmer.

“So… what are you doing?”

Glimmer smiled thinly, “Trying to find my dad. Still. We know he didn't leave voluntarily. But no one in heaven _cared_. Not.... not even _mom_.”

That pulled on Catra's heart. It echoed, far too much, her own keen sense of loss with Adora's disappearance. She heaved a faint, shuddering breath which seemed to draw Adora's gaze for the barest moment. Across from them, Bow smiled, “Wow, that’s dedication. And love. And…. Adora’s helping?”

The blonde demon smiled mirthlessly, “Yeah, but it isn’t  _ entirely _ altruism. Let’s order up. Then I can tell you the rest.”

They scanned the menus and settled on the expected meals - Glimmer with a rare steak, Bow with a chicken salad (Which got him an incredulous stare from Adora) and the salmon steak for Catra. Another round of beers and small talk, then the food came. And Mara damn it if Adora hadn’t been right - Catra  _ loved _ it.  She could sense Adora’s smug smile as she dug into the food. The four ate in relative silence and Catra had to admit, the sensation of food, the textures… it was better than Kafveh. She’d enjoyed the food in that diner, but this was  _ better _ . Plates cleared, they all settled back again and Catra eyed her old friend carefully.

“So, glitter there is all about finding dad and seems to owe you for saving her from the Pit, which if _true_ seems.... minor. But…. what’s  _ your _ deal? Why change sides?”

Adora’s smile was bitter as she took another deep drink of her beer, “Oh that’s the easy bit, Catra,” she looked her in the eye and smirked, “I’m cursed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> COMMENT YOU COWARDS! :D:D:D
> 
> Thanks for reading so far! As ever, let me know your thoughts.
> 
> This is kinda Part 1 of 2 of a chapter, hence the cliffhanger. We'll get some backstory, something a bit different. You'll SEEEEEEE


	15. Recollections in glass

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Partly inspired by the art of @rocket_bird on twitter.
> 
> Adora remembers a day.
> 
> Catra wars with herself.
> 
> The spiral of inevitability begins.

_ The light of the Golden Throne was always refreshing but never quite…. Enough. The view of the endless city, on the other hand - that never failed to inspire something deep inside her. Awe, certainly, but also something akin to fear - a dread of her future, laid out like tablets of raw obsidian. A destiny not of her own making, of someone else’s design. _

_ She leaded against the balcony balustrade and gently thumped the heel of her fist against the marble. The rhythmic feel of the impact kept her thoughts grounded, steady. _

_ Her eyes searched the city below, thronged with the bustle of myriad souls and Angels. Beings from countless worlds and beliefs who, by dint of living their lives well, had arrived here in the next phase of the soul-cycle. For some this would be it, their final stop. For others, this was a safe harbour on that journey of refinement, tempering. _

_ That was the souls, of course. The angels? She worried about her fellows, sometimes. Static. Never changing. Little more than cogs at times. But they had their duty, their roles to fulfill. Some found peace, companionship, learned to shift over time of course. But most…. Most seemed happy to just be. _

_ Thoughts of companionship turned her thoughts, inevitably, to her old friend. _

_ She wondered where Catra was - they’d been separate these past few decades; Catra getting more invested in her role as a Dominion, Adora drawn back into life in the Throne. Of course, she tried to make time, but Catra was always busy, always off on some adventure. She didn’t mind, of course - Catra was her own Angel. And ever had it been thus. _

_ Adora sighed and pushed herself upright and leaned on the palms of her hands. She drew deep breaths and closed her eyes. _

_ Of course, centuries of being Catra’s friend had taken their toll in other ways. She was a cyclone, a force of nature. And how could Adora not resist? Not be drawn in? WHich was why Catra’s relaxed attitude, her fairly laconic attitude with mortals just caused some flutter of resentment in Adora’s chest. The past few centuries she’d tried to put  _ some _ distance but Catra always chased her, always tried to mend fences. _

_ Until recently, of course. Then this new role had just subsumed Catra. She’d always enjoyed her tasks, always gotten invested and, really, this was no difference. Adora was proud of her. Catra, of all the Cohort of Angels would likely carve her own path. _

_ And, much as Adora wanted to express her deepest held feelings, to do so would be an unfair burden on the ambitious Dominion. Adora was fated to become Mara’s heir, to one day sit upon the throne. A lonely, distant role. What fairness would there be in inflicting her…. Affections upon Catra, to impose that upon her, when Catra still had so much left to do? _

_ Adora knew duty, knew sacrifice was necessary to keep the universe turning. She felt the weight of it every day. It was why she stole down to Earth, to indulge in the pungent air, to dance with the mortals, to see their flickers of intensity. When compared to the grinding, ponderous nature of that which she would eventually inherit? It was like the finest wines. The best mead. A sunrise across snow-capped fjords. _

_ Exhilarating. _

_ No, to drag Catra into her orbit, then force her to be part of such dire, nebulous  _ boredom _? To rarely have agency, to lock her in like that? Better Catra got to experience, got to love, got to exist. _

_ “Adora?” _

_ The voice came from within her chambers and the Daughter of Mara sighed, “Out here, Hope.” _

_ Behind her a curtain parted and the tall Seraph stepped through, “You are meditating?” _

_ Adora smirked and shrugged, “Something like that. Contemplating inevitability.” _

_ “It is wise to consider our futures. Our destinies.” _

_ The blonde angel glanced at her mentor sideways, “Was it ever so for you, Light Hope? Were you so assured of the future at every step?” _

_ The Seraph stared out across the city, her body barely moving, “I am certain now. Of the Plan. Of all our places within it. Of Mara’s will.” _

_ “Ahhh dear mother. Feels an eternity since we spoke,” Adora stared at the stone of the balcony, “I miss her.” _

_ “She resides only yonder.” _

_ “And yet I barely can gain a moment of her time between…. Tasks. Petitions. Seraphs preaching, arguing, debating the Plan… where did that come from anyway?” _

_ Light Hope glanced down at her, “It is Mara’s will.” _

_ “Hmmm, yeah. Seems off for her though. I think you guys need to take a break. She needs to take a break.” _

_ “The Universe is eternal and her role is vital. We must all make sacrifices, even your mother.” _

_ Adora pushed away from the balcony and gave Light Hope a thin smile, “I’m sure. Was there a reason for your visit? I am only newly returned, I was hoping for some respite before another session or test or… whatever.” _

_ She didn’t add she’d hoped to catch Catra for mana and…. And maybe, despite all her resolve, maybe to actually test the waters on something else. Even with her knowledge of her destiny, a selfish part of her pulled at her chest. The Seraph, for her part, ignored Adora’s tense commentary. _

_ “I have brought additional documentation for you to review. I appreciate your desire to recuperate and, thus, it is not arduous. However, I must insist on a training session with a new batch of appointed Powers. They require your particular brand of…. Initiation.” _

_ Adora actually chuckled at that, “That was dangerously close to a compliment, Hope. Fine, give me some time. I will read these documents. And then to the barracks. But I expect to be left alone for a while. I have my own agenda, you know, my own aspirations… for as long as I can.” _

_ The Seraph nodded, “Of course, Adora. These missives were dispatched by Mara for your review. It is important and I will, of course, respect your time following the training. Farewell.” _

_ Adora trailed behind the Seraph as the tall being slide back through the curtains and out of Adora’s quarters. _

_ The blond Angel sighed and stretched, then took in her rooms. She had an apartment in the Celestial Palace; normally rooms here were places of light, harmony and gently flowing water and gold. By comparison, Adora’s quarters were spartan. _

_ The word ran through her head and she chuckled - Catra would approve. She had adored the Spartans, Even mildly tolerated their rather repugnant treatment of the Helots, but the wars had ended up disappointing her. The idea of Adora living in a room that was bare bones, amidst all this Glory, in a faintly disappointing manner? That’d probably appeal to Catra’s brand of circular humour. _

_ The floor of the main room was little more than a tiled sparring space. Weapon racks lined the walls, whilst a low plinth held an ornate set of golden and white armour - Adora’s raiment. A winged circlet with Rams horns crowned the flowing white-gold silk and chainmail. Before it, on a stand, her blue-glass sword rested, gleaming as it cast light of its own across the room. _

_ Her bedchambers, not that she really NEEDED them, lay through another set of drapes - little more than a roll mat and a pillow. SHe’d taken to sleeping, even in the Golden City, just because it added a sense of routine that she missed from Earth. _

_ Another room, her study, sat adjacent to the balcony entrance and she pushed past the curtain to survey the piled of papers Light Hope had left her with. _

_ Scrolls upon scrolls - metaphysical constructs; the nature of morality across the planes; a treatise on diplomacy between various hierarchies of celestial powers (Mara never really had to indulge; not before the Fall, of course). _

_ That drew her mind to Lightspinner, along with a pang of hurt. A once trusted advisor and mentor, Adora had helped strike her down, leaving the way open for Micah to finish the job. Her and Catra, the biggest fight of their lives. _

_ Why she hadn’t kissed the annoying little Angel right there and then, she hadn’t known, as they watched Lightspinner plummet from Grace, their chests heaving with exhilaration, more alive than ever before…. How might history have been different? How might their adventures and sojourns to Earth gone, not as comrades, but as lovers? _

_ She pushed the idle fantasy away - no need to dwell on things that would never be.  _

_ One scroll caught her eye - some missive or other. The words seemed to blur before her eyes and she felt a sudden, stabbing pain in her skull. Adora collapsed onto the table and gasped. Her hands splayed and scrolls scattered. She inhaled and blinked. _

_ The table was fine. The scrolls neat. The page before here was just some strange list of duties, fairly rote and a bit nonsensical. She felt her head, but the pain was gone. _

_ A hallucination? A vision? _

_ Adora felt unsettled. And strangely warm. She took a breath then left the study. AS she passed the balcony she winced as the light touched her skin - it felt a bit  _ too _ hot for some reason. _

_ Training, that would help. Probably too much staring at scrolls. SHe was more wired than she’d given credit for… _

_ She made her way down the spiral stairs from her tower. In the main corridors, the Palace was a hive of activity - Virtues and Cherubim sprinting hither and thither with messages and leading visiting delegates. Mythical delegates from the Fae here; the Alfheim or the Sidhe depending on their plane of origin; a Jotun waited in one corridor, clutching a petitioner scroll. She had a nervous look on her face and stiffened when she saw Adora. For her part, Adora felt a sudden surge of SOMETHING in her gut at the sight of the giantess, but she pushed it away. _

_ “Peace sister. Best fortune to you in your petition.” _

_ The Jotun woman blinked in surprise, “Um… thank you, lady Brunhilde…” _

_ Adora smiled, nodded, then moved on. She greeted a few more palace denizens - the odd Dverge or visiting Earthbound. She waved at another familiar face as she crossed the ante-room. _

_ Seraph Angella turned and smiled, “Adora, my lady. You look,” a frown passed briefly across her face, “...well?” _

_ Next to her, a shorter man with a beard turned to her and grinned widely - she recognised Micah immediately and grinned back. Behind the pair, a young angel scuffed her feet and peered curiously at Adora, who returned her focus to Angella, “Just returned from a sojourn to Elysium… it’s, well… still beautiful. And Scorpia is doing a wonderful job being a more neutral party between the central realms of Hell and the other areas.” _

_ Angella nodded, a faint sad smile on her face, “I don’t envy her. Demon though she may be, she has…. Done good work. Even if she won’t disassociate from Shadow Weaver.” _

_ The blond angel shrugged, “It’s Persephone… she has her garden down there and Scorpia is… well Scorpia won’t abandon her people either.” _

_ Micah grinned and glanced at Angella, “Ahhh love. Perfuma always was stubborn as well.” _

_ The Seraph clucked her tongue, “Even so, a bond between a demon and… well a former angel rankles. It doesn’t feel right. Even with Scorpia….” she looked sad for a moment and glanced at Adora, “And that particular link may also have to be cut soon, as well. Any tie to Hell is a risk.” _

_ Adora huffed, “That seems… irrational? Yes, Lightspin….Shadow Weaver is still down there, but if we cut off the sympathetic regions, that will just strengthen her, give her opportunities!” _

_ Angella shook her head, “Our responsibility is to the Earth. The dimensions of Hell chose their sides, even when they chose to stay neutral. The Seraphs are fairly unanimous on this.” _

_ “It’s still stupid,” that came from the pink-haired angel. Angella sighed. _

_ “Glimmer, please. Not here. Adora, I apologise for my daughter.” _

_ Adora chuckled and shook her head, then waved at the girl, “A pleasure. I don’t think we’ve met before? Which, y’know, eternal city, kind of surprising!” _

_ Glimmer gave her a serious look then nodded solemnly, “Very strange. You look… peaky?” _

_ Adora grimaced, “Just tired… oh, Angella, saw Light Hope. She wants me to test a new batch of Powers?” _

_ The Seraph frowned, “I didn’t know we had a new elevation? Hmmm, must have missed the scroll. Well, we shan’t keep you my dear.” _

_ Micah was frowning at Adora but nodded as his wife pulled at his arm, “Good to see you, kiddo. Let’s catch up later.” _

_ “Sounds like a plan.”  _

_ She walked out the ante-chamber, through the great entry hall and down the steps towards the Power’s barracks and training yard. As she approached, she stumbled and clutched her head, as her vision swam once more. THe light felt almost oppressive now, the heat palpable. What was this? _

_ Then it faded and she shook herself - Micah would help, she would see him later. But she’d promised Light Hope her assistance. _

_ The barracks were, for now, a vast arena. Adora strode into the centre, where she Light stood with a small cohort of battle-ready Powers. The warrior angels regarded her as she approached and Light turned to observe her. _

_ “Thank you Adora. Your assistance in training this new cohort will be invaluable. I must depart, but I will leave all of you in Adora’s very capable hands.” _

_ The Seraph cast her gaze across the angels, who all bowed low, then departed. Adora watched her go with a faint frown on her face - that was fairly abrupt even by the Seraph’s normal standards. She shrugged and turned to the new Powers. _

_ “Right, welcome all! I am Adora, also Athena and Brunhilde, among many names. You may or may not know me. Regardless, I am here to help you. Before we get acquainted, let’s warm up with some brief sparring. I trust you were all warriors before your elevation, but it may take some slight adjustment - you have new abilities, beyond your mortal shells. So, some light sparring to get used to it, then we can drill and go from there.” _

_ She watched as the Powers ran through some sparring and picked a couple for her own bout, to test them. It was going well until one of her partners lunged and laid a definitive and painful hit to her stomach. Adora went down to one knee and raised a hand to stay combat, but the Power leapt forwards and swung again. The blow from the spear butt sent Adora across the sand-like surface of the arena. _

_ She staggered to her feet and shot the Power a look of irritation and shock. _

_ A Power shouldn’t have had that much force behind a blow. Certainly not a newly raised one. The angel looked uncertain, as if they’d realised they’d overstepped a boundary. _

_ Adora flinched as a wave of heat rolled across her. She gritted her teeth and hissed in pain. Then another blow sent her forwards - one of the other Powers, her other sparring partner had knocked her from behind. _

_ “CEASE! What is going on here?” Adora shouted. The Powers paused and held back. But then one stepped forwards, spear tip held towards her uncertainly. _

_ “We…. we are here to test… and be tested.” _

_ Adora squinted at him, “Oh great, Light wants to give me another challenge huh?” the Power blinked and Adora waved a hand, “She does this, gets some idiot recruits to try to take me and I have to put you in your place yadda yadda… alright lets…” _

_ She hissed again and sagged. The pain was suddenly all over and she let out a sudden howl. The Powers staggered backwards, save the initial one. The one who didn’t SEEM to be some merely recently raised being. He tightened his grip on his golden spear and  _ charged.

_ “For MARA! For the Plan!”  _

_ Adora felt the tip sink into her gut. The Power thudded to a halt and stared at the wound, then up at Adora’s face. He had a face that looked older and that held a mix of triumph and fear. But slowly it shifted into terror. _

_ Her gaze swam with shadows. The heat from the air was unbearable. Stifling and it scalded her skin. There was pain in her gut. _

_ Oh yes. A spear. And the… insect in front of her. _

_ KillmaimsmashtearsufferpainhurtrendJUSTICE _

_ She clung to that last one, that last cogent thought. She had been wronged. Something was very very wrong. And balance was required. _

_ The Power before her fell, his very essence torn to shreds, as Adora summoned her blade to her hand. THe blue-glass roiled and melted into a coruscating blue flame. She heard muffled cries, shrieks of fear. _

_ “-emon! A demon in the Daughter’s flesh!” _

_ “Intruder…! Treachery!” _

_ “Sumon the Ser-” _

_ It was all noise. Some of the Powers charged her, gleeful, all too eager. Some had expressions that implied greater experience than implied by Light Hope. But it mattered not. Adora pulled the spear from her gut, spun it and threw it with pinpoint accuracy. A Power shrieked and fell, golden dust erupting from their form as their energy exploded out. _

_ Another dove at her but their head parted from golden shoulders. _

_ Her vision faded and returned. A corridor within the barracks - scorch marks all over the walls. Then a room, a screaming Power held by their throat - their skin blackened and burning. A crowd of Powers charging down the street beyond the barracks, only to fall, clutching at their heads as Adora bellowed and snarled. Some began to claw at their fellows, their wings sizzling as feathers blackened. _

_ Again her vision went. More screams. A burning tower. Souls scattering in her wake. Shouts and pursuit. _

_ Then a face. Concerned eyes. Familiar. Bearded, top-knot, wincing as he dragged her prone form. Hands touched her face, “What happened Adora? What…” She saw him haul her up, then push her through some sort of golden-blue portal, “No time…. Stay safe. Don’t try to return…. You’ll be safe on Earth… hide, I’ll try to find you….” _

_ She Fell. _

_ But not to Earth. _

\-----------------

Catra stared at Adora, her breaths shallow. The Demon had related her tale in monotone, between sips of beer. Her meeting with Light Hope, the changes in Angella’s demeanour, the battle in the Arena, the betrayal. She’d mentioned her concerns about taking the Throne, but only briefly, as a sort of preamble. But she seemed to be holding  _ something _ back when she mentioned her  _ fears _ . And she’d looked at Catra when she said it.

Across the table, Bow paused, fork halfway to his mouth. The piece of chicken on it dropped. He blinked and worked his jaw, “Wow.”

Adora chuckled, “Sums it up.”   


“So, you think Light Hope…. Set you up?” Catra frowned, “Why?”

“Might not have been her. She’s a stickler, so she might have just been a pawn. Or maybe she wanted me out of the way. I wasn’t as…. Malleable as Mom? Or maybe Mom was disappointed in me and decided a crash and burn approach was the best. All I know is _someone_ up there wanted me gone. And Mom looks like the only one to have pulled it of... and since _no one_ came to look for me, I guess it's _fine_.”   


“How can you think your mom would….” Adora jerked her head to stare at Catra.

“The scrolls were from her. Know anyone who can tamper with  _ her _ Word?” Catra flinched back and Adora relaxed immediately, “Sorry… sorry… so, yeah, that’s just the start….”

“The  _ start _ ?” Catra shook her head, “What else?”

“So, uh… the curse didn’t just make me a demon, ooooh no. It has  _ side  _ effects.”

Catra slumped back in her seat and blinked, “....what?”

Adora grinned and downed another pint, “YEP! I can choose to make use of my amazing powers but… sometimes… well, like in the Arena, it will do its own thing,” she shrugged, “C’est la vie, right?”

Catra folded her arms, “What about your best friend down below?”

“Ohhhh the crazy former Seraph with a bitchy attitude?” Adora snorted, “She’s actually been kinda helpful. Helped me control the rage, focus myself. Actually fairly forgiving for the whole beatdown I gave her too. But, yeah... she can't _stop_ the curse. She was actually... accommodating. Or as accommodating as a disembodied force of rage and pride can be.”

“So… why not stay there?” Catra’s tone was neutral and Adora glanced at her, “I mean, this… this is huge, Adora. If you’re some sort of murder machine now…” Catra ran a hand through her hair and gripped it, “Why risk it?”

The former angel huffed and poked at what was left of her food - she’d demolished the huge, rare steak and was now just chewing on the prawns it had come with, “Hell, for the most part is pretty dull. Shadow Weaver doesn’t care about running it, beyond using it to churn out soldiers. Scorpia…. Does her bit, keeps to herself, keeps the peace. The other Circles… they toe the line. But what, I’m supposed to sit in the Pit forever? Until what?”

Catra gestured helplessly, “This… you’ve caused havoc? Why come back?”

Adora’s face shifted to neutral, “To find someone to help me. Someone who might  _ care _ . Shadow Weaver  _ couldn’t _ help me, apparently. Something about how the curse is Angelic or whatever.”   


“What Angels use  _ curses _ Adora? And ones that turn people…. Evil?”

“Don’t be naive, Catra… we were hardly paragons of virtue in the old days. How many people did we kill, hmmm? Don’t try moral highgrounding me here.”

Across the table, Bow and Glimmer watched in silence and exchanged a glance. Then they looked away, blushing furiously. Catra frowned at Bow then swallowed, before she returned her gaze to Adora, “It’s just…. A lot to consider, Adora.”

“Oh, yeah, I imagine,” Adora chewed on a prawn and grinned broadly, “Try living it!”

“So…. boredom? And now you’re… what? How’d you two link up?”

“Well, I wasn’t  _ always _ up here. I was taking a day trip back to the Pit when… well, Glimmer fell. Something had dragged her to the Pit rather than to Earth, no idea what and I found her brawling in the Asphodel fields. Decided to help out and suddenly I recognised her… and lo and behold, there’s the answer - someone who can help me find someone who  _ could _ help.”

“So… you want to cure your demonhood?”   


Adora leaned back and laughed. It was a snorting, giggle of a laugh, “Stop being a demon? NO! I just want… to not go  _ postal _ without warning. Catra, I’ve followed  _ everyone _ else's rules for years. Mom’s, the Seraphs’, even  _ yours _ . And now? I can do whatever I want… why would I give that up? I have done more  _ good _ in that past forty years than any stupid little war between tribes ever accomplished.”

She was conflicted. Catra could practically feel the hurt radiating from her old friend. But she wasn’t sure - could she take this at face value? She’d been loyal to the Eternal Throne forever…. And this didn’t sound like something Mara would ever do. Even the Seraphs - they were detached, but to… try to kill one of their own? It  _ must _ have been something else. And Adora was just… acting out? Or was corrupted? And doing GOOD? Demons didn't DO good!

Adora was chewing on a fry when something buzzed. She groaned and fished out a phone from  _ somewhere _ \- Catra hadn’t seen any pockets on the outfit and her mind wandered briefly. The demon looked at Glimmer and scowled, “Your turn.”

The pink-haired demon smirked, “Nuh uh. I dealt with it last time.  _ Brother _ .”

Adora cursed, then answered the phone on speaker, “Yep?”

_ “Brothers! Rejoice! I have not found any further information! BUT there are ANGELS looking for you.” _

Adora face palmed as she placed the phone on the table, “Thank you Wrong. So… so helpful.”

Catra stared at the phone, “That’s… HORDAK?”

Glimmer grunted, “I wish. He’d actually be useful, but I snagged something a little… less.”

Bow pointed at the phone, “Wait, that’s… that’s the thingie drive you stole? It’s… an artificial offshoot?”

Adora nodded, but the voice interrupted, “ _ Are these new Brothers? OH JOYOUS DAY! We are all FREE to bask in our own magnificence. If you subscribe now…” _

“Wrong, I said to only call if you had updates on the search you were running.”   


“ _ Ah, well, I… yes. No updates. But the angels were a peripheral offshoot of the search! I have fifteen hits in Iran, seventeen in Europe and thirty five in the United States!” _

“Yeah, we watch the news too. But… thanks for the heads up. I think we can handle it.”   


_ “Wonderful. I will call again once I have found the TARGET!” _

The line clicked off and Catra shook her head slowly, “What… what was that?”

Adora chewed another fry and shrugged, “Eh, a nascent AI that we plugged into some internet cafe computer and let loose with vague orders to find Micah… pretty harmless. Honestly surprised Hordak hasn’t found it, but I imagine he’s looking for a mini version of himself, rather than something that’s more like a puppy with a sugar overdose,” she swallowed and shot Catra another lopsided grin, “How is pasty face?”

“You were in hell, didn’t you go say hi?”   


“Eh, preferred Scorpia’s realm when I wasn’t dealing with Shadow Weaver’s lecturing. Perfuma does the  _ best _ teas.”

Catra lapsed into silence, then spoke up, “How… how is Scorpia?”

“Ok… doing the best she can. Still not fully signed up to Shadow Weaver’s whole… thing,” Adora sighed, “Doing the best she can, trying to keep Hell as it was, rather than… a factory.”

“So… you’re helping Shadow Weaver, still?”

Adora shrugged, “For a given value of  _ help _ . You want reassurance that I’m not sowing the seeds of invasion, right? Not doing anything?” the demon snorted, “Are we Glimmer?”

Purple hair just shrugged and tossed another fry into her mouth, “Just tryin’ to find my dad. And taking down idiots who would’ve been bad anyway.”

Bow rested his arms on the table and looked at Glimmer, “So… when you find him, then what? He… helps Adora and what happens then?”

Glimmer looked uncomfortable and shrugged, “Not your concern. I’m not signed up for some war, not in it for Heaven’s stupid agenda either. I just want to find my dad.”

Adora shrugged, “Keep doing what I’m doing. Frankly, Heaven decided I’m not worth it. I’ll keep doing what I’m doing until…. I can’t.”

The tension of the table was palpable, the four falling into silence. Catra breathed out through her nose and pushed her plate away, “Light Hope… she will find you.”

Adora sipped at her beer, “Yep.”

“And you think she’ll try to kill you?”

“Yep. Pretty much.”

“So… what do you want  _ me _ to do?” Catra flexed her fingers on the table grain. Adora gave her a kind look.

“Walk away, Catra. Let us…. Get on with this. This world’s messed up. We’re hardly adding to it. And… well, I was gonna get found out. I mean, it is poetic that the person who has to kill me would be  _ you _ . But…” she mused and sagged slightly, “Guess you didn’t know about all this, did you?”

“That’s what I’ve been  _ saying _ !”

“Well, hard to take it at face value.”

Bow chuckled, “This is weird, isn’t it? Not just me, right?”

Adora smiled at him, “You aren’t wrong. So, I guess the question is…. What now?”   


Catra felt overwhelmed. Too many things rattling in her head. Was Adora lying? Was Heaven really out to get her? Was it all some ploy to get them to let their guard down? Maybe Mermista was right? And Bow had a point - Demons  _ lied _ . But would Adora lie to her? She certainly wasn’t telling Catra  _ everything _ . She shook it slowly and sighed, “I’m… I don’t know. I think… I think we need to talk to Mermista and the others. BUT… but I won’t tell Light Hope. I promise.”

Glimmer made a face at Adora who rolled her neck lazily, “Guess that’ll have to do. Well, can’t promise we won’t cause some… issues. But I  _ promise _ not to end the world orrrrr cause a major incident. Will that suffice? Until we decide how this… ends?”

Catra nodded, stiffly, “Let’s… reconvene in a couple of days. Um… you have a telephone.”   


Adora smirked, “Oh, you noticed. Wait, do you  _ want my number _ , Catra?”

The Dominion glowered, “Don’t make this  _ weird _ Adora.”

“Fairly weird already,” murmured Bow, who kept stealing glances at Glimmer, as if he wasn’t quite sure what he was looking at. For her part, she kept frowning at him when she thought he wasn’t looking. It was very vexing for Catra. She grunted and turned her phone one.

It immediately buzzed, repeatedly with several messages. Adora arched an eyebrow, “Someone’s popular.”

Was there an edge to her voice? Catra couldn’t tell. She blanched as she saw who the messages were from - twenty from  _ Fiona _ , a few from Mermista. She managed to mumble out a “What’s your number?”

Adora rattled it off then leaned back to watch the angels as they stood, “Good to catch up… I’ve…” her voice trailed off and she looked away, “We’ll talk soon, I’m sure. Whenever’s  _ convenient _ .”

Catra stood, awkwardly and watched the two demons. Glimmer had her hands folded on the table and seemed to be trying to set fire to it with the intensity of her stare. AS if she was actively trying to hold her gaze via force of will, “Um… this… this was. It was  _ nice _ . And I… thank you.”

Adora adjusted herself in her seat and her expression softened, but she looked away, “Yeah, well… you’re welcome, Catra. Let’s all…. Let’s just take some time.”

The angels trudged back to the car, where Lonnie was sat, stock still. They sat in silence as they pulled away. Halfway back to the office Catra huffed and squirmed.

“Stop the car.”   


“What?” Lonnie sounded tense, terse. Catra hissed.

“Stop the damn car… I…. I need some air. I want to walk,” Lonnie slammed the breaks on and skidded the car to the curb. Catra rolled her eyes, “Problem?”

“Oh no. Just we’ve got a freaking  _ mega demon _ you just had dinner with and you seemed  _ off your game _ . And yeah, that’s just some  _ monkey’s _ opinion,” Stress practically radiated off of Lonnie and Catra leaned back.

“I need to think about this, Lonnie. Precisely so I don’t do something rash. But… I appreciate that I am not and have not been  _ easy _ . And I have reacted badly. But… I need this. Ok? That is my… best friend. And I don’t know where this goes… so, please, some patience?”

Lonnie sagged and nodded, “Yeah, you can see why we’re kinda scared though?”

“I can. And…. I will try to cut down on the… condescension.”

“It’s a bit more’n that, but I doubt you’d understand the  _ why _ ,” muttered Lonnie, but she looked in the rear view, “Don’t be too long, ok? We’re on edge.”

Catra nodded as she climbed out of the car. She held a hand up to forestall Bow’s exit, “Go back, reassure everyone we have… a temporary accord. I need to think, to plan. I will be back soon.”

He nodded and she closed the car door, then traipsed across the main road, which was quiet this time of night, towards a residential area. The night felt cool as she walked and she allowed herself to diminish to a more human form. It felt vulnerable, but it meant she could experience the world a little bit more easily. 

Through streets and down quaint pedestrian avenues, devoid of life and foot-traffic, she wandered, her mind a roiling mess of conflicting information. Her absolute knowledge in the  _ goodness _ of Heaven warred against the story told by Adora. All evidence pointed to a confusing state of affairs around Adora’s disappearance, yes, but… it could be a fabrication. There was no record she knew of, of such a conflict in Heaven. But she knew Light Hope must be aware of more than she was letting on. Was Adora playing a game? Had her memories been altered? Did Light Hope just think this was a dangerous demon and wasn’t aware of the reality? Maybe if she just  _ told _ the Seraphs they could  _ help _ Adora?

Because that would be a good trick for Shadow Weaver to play - make Adora so angry that she would think Heaven was after her, so she  _ wouldn’t _ reach out?

She found herself next to a fence near some sort of leisure complex -Light flickered off of an outdoor pool. With a leap, she was over the fence and staring into the water.

Her cat features gazed back at her, her white suit contrasting to the brown of her fur.

A rustle made her turn and she sighed as a familiar figure in black leather emerged from the shadows nearby, “Adora.”

“Hey, Catra.”

The Dominion shook her head, “Two days… I need time, Adora.”

The demon snorted and sauntered along the edge of the pool, “What, your famous gut not helping this time?”

Catra shot her a glare, then turned to face her “What am I supposed to think, Adora?” her stomach tightened, her worry spiked as she looked at those calm, blue eyes, “Y...You’ve caused enough trouble on earth, you need to go back, NOW!” she jabbed a finger towards the demon

Adora cocked her head then beckoned to Catra with a smirk, “Oh, why don’t you make me  _ kitty _ ?”

_ Purpose, duty, conviction _ warred with  _ frustration, worry, fear _ . Catra clenched a fist. This was supposed to have been an  _ easy _ job. Something to help her  _ forget _ Adora. To move on.

How dare she be here? After all this time? How dare she roll in and disrupt everything? How dare…. She  _ leave _ in the first place.

The Dominion lunged forwards and jabbed a fist at Adora. The demon leaned back lazily and caught Catra’s weak punch, then pulled and spun. For a moment they hung and Adora’s eyes widened as Catra’s other fist grabbed at the gap in the front of her top. The moment froze for a split second as gold and blue met grey blue.

Then they fell.

The water was a  _ shock _ . It had been a while since Catra had deigned to swim. Most of the time with water she didn’t bother with things like breathing or dealing with it.

But she was more mortal right now. And Adora’s presence had her frazzled. She opened her mouth in shock and inhaled, then choked. She spasmed and flailed. THen strong arms gripped her hips and lifted her. She broke the surface of the water and coughed up a lungfull of water, then leaned forwards. Her legs wrapped, instinctively, around the closest anchor.

Which happened to be a ridiculously attractive blond demon. Catra’s lidded gaze locked onto Adora’s blue eyes. Their faces hung close as she drew ragged, confused breaths. Around them the water steamed, the heat radiating from the demon near boiling it.

Catra felt herself leaning forwards, then blinked again. Adora arched an eyebrow, and, with a smirk, deadpanned “Did I make you all wet Catra?”

The Dominion flushed, blinked then launched herself backwards with a squeak. She coughed and pushed away, then scrambled out of the pool shaking her fur, “ACH! WET! NO! Uh, no, um… uhh… NO!”

Behind her, Adora flopped back in the water and laughed. A genuine, belly laugh. She floated, a serene smile on her face and stared up at the sky, “ah, can’t blame a girl for hoping.”   


Catra turned away and hugged herself, her tail swishing back and forth, “I…. I need to…” she stalked away, through a side gate. She heard the slosh of water behind her and turned. She spread her hands, “Why are you still following me?”

Adora was dripping, her hair lank by her sides as she strode towards Catra. She gave a sardonic grin, “Mom always said to follow my dreams…” she arched an eyebrow and Catra could only stare. Above them, clouds began to criss cross the sky. There was a brief rumble and the pitter patter of light rain began. The darkness implied it would get worse. Catra shivered and frowned. She found her powers strangely absent. Like she could barely focus, could barely push her energy out. She gave Adora an alarmed glance.

The demon watched her, then her face shifted from mildly flirtatious to concerned, “Come on, my place isn’t far…. Come back and you….  _ We _ can get dry.”

Catra glared, “Why? From what you’ve said today, from what I know…. I could still be a  _ threat _ to you.”

Adora’s eyes flashed red briefly and suddenly she was in Catra’s personal space. Great black wings fanned out to shield them from the world. The Dominion found herself backed against the side of a house. Adora’s hand came up and traced down Catra’s cheek. The Dominion noticed a slight tremor in the demon’s touch, a strange sadness in those grey blue eyes that danced with flecks of red.

“Oh Catra…. You are so much more than just a  _ threat _ …”

The chains on Adora’s boots clinked as the demon stepped closer. She leaned in and, for the briefest second, there was the ghost of a touch, lips briefly against Catra’s. Then with a rush of air, Adora danced away, chuckling. She faced away from Catra, wings gone. Catra opened her mouth, then glared at the demon’s back. She felt her power again, but didn’t reach for it. She could easily dry herself, fly away.

Easily.

Of course.

Adora glanced over her shoulder and eyed the Dominion, “My bike’s over here. Need a ride?”

Moments later, Catra found herself on the back of Swift Wind, arms around Adora’s waist. The demon had practically dragged them around her. She inhaled and peered down at the contraption.

“So… what should I expect?”

“....fun,” chuckled Adora.

The engine revved and Catra’s eyes widened. Then the vehicle lurched forwards. Catra squeaked and her wings popped out. There was a  _ whoosh _ and she whipped away. She saw Adora peel the bike to a skidding halt, her stance firm as she planted a foot on the tarmac. Catra hovered a few feet off the ground and a goofy seventy yards away, wings outstretched.

She could sense Adora’s shit-eating grin even at a distance.

“SO, uh,.... Did I startle you?” yelled the demon.

“Shut up!”

“You’re cute when you’re startled!”

“Shut up! I am NOT cute! I am Dominion Catra, of the…”

“You’re a cute kitty whose tail is really fluffed out. May want to deal with that… And land your fluffy ass, girl. Then drag it over here so we can get a move on.”

Catra glanced down and growled, then smoothed her tail out as she descended. Then she stalked over to the bike, “Why am I doing this again?”   


Adora quirked a grin, “Cos I got you alllllll wet. And it’s more fun to dry off  _ normally _ . Magic… makes things too easy. Appreciate the little things, y’know?”   


“Why are you in such a rush?”

“Well… the night’s young. Maybe… we could… catch up properly? And, well… no offence, Catra but you guys stick out… you want to do more of this, you need to blend in.”   


“Like you did with that dingy little town?”

“Eh… sometimes you gotta let loose. And, frankly, they deserved it. Now, sit your ass down, Catra. Let’s…. Live a little.”

Catra hugged to Adora’s back, mind a whirl of chaos. She had no idea what she was doing, had no plan. But as Swift Wind’s engine purred and she felt the heat from Adora’s back, for the first time in a millenia, she didn’t really care.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by @rocket_bird and the wider #CelestialAU
> 
> Here's the image for THAT scene:
> 
> https://twitter.com/rocket_bird/status/1292141741395587074/photo/1


	16. Where do we go, when we are alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adora and Catra begin their night.
> 
> Bow bonds with a new face.

Bow paced the length of the small office and _fretted_. Nearby Frosta lay on the thin carpet tiles and hummed tunelessly. Mermista snored, head planted on her arms, draped over a table. Seahawk snored on the floor next to her. Around the room the magi either slept or stood near their various stations, almost at a loss.

After all, they’d _found_ the demons. And, well, all that was left was the cleanup.

“Y’know, when heaven said to _take out_ the demon threat, not sure this is what they meant,” Lonnie mused from her seat by the Scroll circle. She had a faint smile on her face as she watched Bow pace back and forth. Inside the circle, Kyle sat on the floor, pouring over some older texts. He was sat very close to the edge. As was Lonnie. Bow paused, glanced at them, then smirked himself.

“Yeah, well, been a while since any real… _relations_ with Hell. Not my area, never was. Aside from the odd message.”

Lonnie leaned back and rested her hands behind her. Next to her, Kyle mirrored the gesture but didn’t look up. Their fingers were close, separated only by the golden light that ringed the circle and cascaded up like a sand-curtain in reverse. The Seer frowned and cocked her head, “What’s the deal with that anyway?”

“Hmm? Oh the whole Heaven Hell thing?”

“Yeah.”

“Don’t you know? I mean, mages commune with demons and angels all the time, right?”

Lonnie gave a half shrug, “Not really? Mostly it’s actually just spirits… or local minor gods I suppose you could call them. I mean, _some_ idiots summon demons and it goes _wrong_ really fast,” Lonnie chewed her cheek and huffed, “But… we don’t exactly talk _history_. And the books my Coven have are, well… they don’t do much history. Yeah, Solomon’s Key and the Ars Goetia give you a bunch of names and mythic stuff, but most of that is just hokum. Crowley level parlour tricks to con people out of money.”

Bow pursed his lips and nodded, “Yeah, the old history doesn’t get touch on much…”

“When does _any_ history really get taught? Always gets sanitised, polished up into _good_ and _bad_ ,” Lonnie traced a pattern on the carpet absently, then looked up at Bow, “I mean, we all thing Angels and Demons are at each other’s throats… and now this?”

The Cherub ran his hands through his hair and laced his fingers together behind his head, “Normally… yes. And keep in mind this _isn’t_ my area. Nowadays, it’s a real _no no_ to fraternise. Mainly because, well… Shadow Weaver, she just _changed_ everything. She was supposed to be _imprisoned_ in Hell, part of it’ whole re-education function.”

“Re-education?” Lonnie deadpanned, “So, you get tortured for eternity to re-educate yourself so you can be tortured but _know better_?”

Bow huffed and waved a hand then returned it to the back of his head and began pacing again, “No. Not eternal. Hell is…. It’s like any afterlife. It has layers and realms and… aspects. And the torture is’t _eternal_ . And it isn’t torture… unless you _make_ it so. Half the time it’s…. Making a soul face the reality of its decisions in that aspect of its life. Again… not my area. And parts of Hell are… well they’re not _bad_ . They’re _Hell_ because they aren’t _Heaven_. It’s a place to go on a souls continuous drive towards ascension and… the next step.”

Lonnie frowned, “Sounds like your little conveyor belt got busted up.”

That drew a sigh from Bow, “Sort of. I don’t know. It still… _works_ . Souls filter into hell and filter out, reincarnating in the _real_ or another plane. Some even go straight to Heaven. But Shadow Weaver is doing _something_ to some of them. An Army? Draining their essence? Who knows.”

“So, you locked her up and she ends up running the place?”

“Yeah… that clearly _wasn’t_ supposed to happen.”

“So why haven’t you _fixed_ that?” Lonnie leaned forwards and drew her knees up in front of her, then wrapped her arms around them, “You’ve got _God_ on your side.”

“God who most certainly doesn’t want another celestial war. Shadow Weaver falling killed the Dinosaurs. Imagine what would happen to the real if Angels invaded hell? The Metaphysical shockwaves would be disastrous. But… yeah, it’s a mess. Used to be some circles had pretty good back and forth with the more… celestial planes. Elysium and Asphodel, Valhalla and Nifleheim, that sort of thing. Complimentary.”

The Seer frowned at him, then looked over at Kyle, “So basically, all your happy family stuff got messed up because you didn’t lock the cage door?”

Bow stared at her and arched an eyebrow, “Uhhh … sooooorrrrrrt of? But, then again, some parts of Hell were…. Not great. Like the bit Hordak ran, Or didn’t run. Some of the pits where souls _don’t_ go, or if they do they just… don’t come back. That’s where demons that you usually associate with your horror stories come from. It’s a…. Kind of catch all term.”

Lonnie deadpanned, “I know _that much_. So, what, you guys just stopped talking?”

“Pretty much. And then the Seraphs had the whole separation edicts to maintain security and to limit the Falling of more angels…. Which, y’know…” he shrugged awkwardly and Lonnie snorted.

“That worked oh so well. So much for _ineffable_ and _omniscient_.”

“Your words, not ours. And, yeah this… this is kind of new and… weird.”

“Only _kind_ of?” chuckled Lonnie.

“Well, Scorpia… she runs, well… Asphodel, mostly. One of the _grey_ circles. Her wife, Perfuma… well, you’d call her Persephone… she was an angel, became something else and… well, now helps Scorpia manage. One of the more stable realms. A border really. Met them both a few times, though mainly Hermes doing _that_ particular trip. He LOVED pomegranates,” Bow smiled fondly, “And Scorpia… you wouldn’t _think_ demon Prince, y’know? Underworld gods got a bad rep for a few centuries.”

The Seer stared at him and shook her head slowly, “Wow. I mean. _Wow._ ”

“Yeah. So this isn’t _unprecedented_ but it is _weird_. Fallen are a different story. Take an Angel and basically… remove the guidelines?” he winced, “So… yeah.”

Silence settled and Lonnie shook her head. She checked her watch and frowned, “It’s been…. Four hours. You sure they’re… not fighting?”

“Yep. No explosions.”

“And they’re not…” Lonnie arched an eyebrow and made a _complicated_ motion with her hands. Bow gave her a “ _really?”_ Sort of expression and shook his head.

“Like I said. No. Explosions.”

“Fuck, WHAT?” Lonnie goggled and Bow chuckled.

“I don’t know. But I think, well… I think I’d know… and…”

He was interrupted by a sudden explosion of black glitter in the centre of the room. Frosta yelped and rolled away in surprise and Mermista was suddenly on her feet. A golden trident materialised in her hand and she glared at the figure that now stood in the middle of their operations room.

Glimmer glared around at them, fists clenched, “Alright you gilded snobs, where the _fuck_ did you take her?”

Bow exchanged a glance with Mermista, who just gave a helpless shrug, then he turned his gaze back to Glimmer.

“Um, _hello_ , Ms Demon Glitter Seraph… Glimmer. Hi, um, Glimmer.” the purple haired demon twitched and stared at Bow. He gave a little wave and cocked his head, “Uh…. we don’t _have_ her?”

“Your Dominion just nabbed her and made off! Like… she…. She just took off and Adora is…”

“Um,” Bow winced, “Maybe they, uh… went off together?”

“Yeah RIGHT. This was all a setup so you could just…. _Kill_ her. I’m onto you!”

Bow gestured at the room, “So,uh.. Your plan to rescue a Demon prince was to teleport _into the main base_ of the people capable of taking her out?”

Mermista snorted, “Smooth, Glimmer. Totes smooth.”

The demon’s shoulders sagged and she glared at the ceiling, then blew a strand of hair from her face, “No, that… no! Stop it! I am going to rescue her and…. Where is she?”

“Not here, dummy,” sighed Mermista, “And we don’t know where _our_ girl is either so… take your goth glitter act somewhere else,” she planted the trident onto the carpet and leaned on it. Glimmer glowered at the Earthbound Archangel.

“What, not going to try to splash me, Seaworld?”

“Ouch, harsh. Coming from the Demon version of HobbyCraft I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Bow stepped between the two women and held his hands up, “Alright _enough_. Glimmer,” he turned to her, palms pressed together and smiled calmly, “Catra said we’d not do anything, alright? She won’t go back on that. And no one here will, you can be assured of that.”

“And _why_ should I believe you, huh?” Glimmers voice was shrill, her hands in fists next to her. Her face tight, shoulders tense, “Not like an angel's word is _worth_ much, is it?”

Bow met her gaze and nodded slowly, “Probably not. But I’m a Cherub. Not exactly, y’know… combat ready,” he gave a joking half smile, “I mean, c’mon I could barely hit you.”

Mermista leaned around him, “Uhhh, way to undersell our tactical ability to _the enemy_.”

He turned and stared at her, “Has she done _anything_ to us? No.” 

“Not YET.”

Bow rolled his eyes, “Look, I get I’m not all that big on the politics. Haven’t exactly _kept up_ with things. But right now, we have an _accord_ . And that _matters_ ,” the Cherub’s wings flapped out and he stared at Mermista. The archangel took a step back.

“You’re… protecting her?” she arched an eyebrow. Bow sighed.

“I’m protecting the _word_ of Heaven. If we break an _oath_ , then what are we worth? Or is it that easy to just…. Let things slip? I get it - I’m the nice guy, Catra’s the hard one. And I don’t agree with her on everything… but if we go around just _flouting_ promises and oaths, then maybe she’s got a point. Maybe _you_ ’ _ve_ forgotten Mermista,” he smiled then, a gentle, kind expression, “And I know you haven’t. Now, come on. Be the goddess, be the _angel_ I know you are. Don’t let hate or fear or mistrust in. Those are Shadow Weaver’s tools. Have _faith_ . Have _hope_ . BE that.” 

Mermista looked sullen for a moment then sighed. WIth a flick of her wrist, the trident dissolved into golden light, “ _Fine_ . Just don’t blame me if she stabs you in the back.” 

“I leave that to _family_ ,” sneered Glimmer. She shot Bow a frown, then glared back at Mermista, “I see things haven’t changed much.”

Frosta watched the exchange off to one side then frowned at Glimmer, “Hey… you’re… you’re _Angella’s_ daughter, right?”

The lead Earthbound looked at her colleague and splayed her hands, “Duh. We went over this with Catra.”

“Yeah well… still,” Frosta gave a half hearted-shrug. Glimmer shifted uncomfortably and folded her arms.

“She was my mom, yeah. Not that that means much. Duty first, family later. Especially if we’re inconvenient. Not that it’s _your_ concern.”

Bow turned to her and gestured out towards the windows, “Ok. So, how about _we_ ,” he indicated between them, “Try and find our absent friends?” he reached out a hand and smiled encouragingly, whilst at the same time retracting his wings, which faded with a golden afterglow. The demon looked at the extended hand, then back up at Bow. Her eye twitched briefly and she reached out. Their fingers touched and they vanished in a flutter of black glitter.

“Well, now what?” grumbled Mermista. Frosta stared at the empty space where the pair had stood and grinned.

“So. Cool.”

\----------------------------------

Catra wasn’t sure what to expect, really. The motorbike ride had thrilled her in a way that she hadn’t expected and she wasn’t _quite_ sure why. She’d ridden a horse with Adora once, centuries ago, along a snowy shoreline in some Scandinavian fjord, one of the few times she’d visited Adora’s preferred haunts. Mainly because Adora spent most of her time in the Mediterranean or the desert nations with her.

It was _similar_ to that, but there hadn’t been a tension there before. Familiarity, comfort. A sense of _stability_ she now realised.

But weaving through the traffic on a slow evening, she had clung to Adora in a way that was more _urgent_ than that gentle canter along the shore. She did get distracted as a couple of cars veered off sharply and she had to exert _some_ effort to stop them spinning out - her angelic will preventing minor dings and bent fenders. Nothing _disastrous_ would’ve happened, but she felt compelled to. Adora wasn’t driving recklessly, not by any means, but she was certainly _striking_ \- blond hair flowing behind her like the tail of a comet, bare arms white in the street lamps, the motorbike’s engine a roar like some forgotten beast from the depths.

Pedestrians stopped and gawked as they roared by. SHe saw one man wolf whistle, the sound lost amidst the engine’s growl, then saw the fellow’s wife smack him upside the head.

They curved through backstreets, into a slightly less ostentatious part of Brightmoon, until they reached a modest apartment block. Adora rolled the bike to a stop and kicked the stand out. She smirked over her shoulder at Catra, “Ladies first…”

Catra tried for a glower but couldn’t quite manage it. She swung her leg behind her which pushed her closer to Adora for a moment, but she didn’t break eye contact. She wasn’t going to be flummoxed by a cocky old friend and smirked as Adora’s grin faltered for the merest moment as their faces came close.

Then Catra blew a puff of air into Adora’s fringe which made the demon blink and wince back. To her credit, Adora just laughed in surprise and Catra finished dismounting. She stepped away from the bike and looked up at the apartment, “So… anymore grisly murder scenes in here?”

She felt Adora step up next to her and noticed the shrug, “Not unless you ask nicely. Or you know of anyone inside with pretty shitty attitudes towards other people?”

“You need a whole town to do that?”

Adora glanced her way, face serious, “Like I said, we’ve done worse for less. You know what they say about the _old school_. Nothing like it. You coming? You’re still soaking.”

Adora’s gaze took in _all_ of Catra and the demon grinned again, with an arched eyebrow. Catra folded her arms, “I’ve half a mind to just dry off and…. Go.”

That got a cocked head from the demon, along with a measured gaze, “But where’d the _fun_ be in that Catra?” it was an old line. One Catra had used so many times - back in the days when they crested the waves with Myrmidons and fought Gorgons; tackled feral trolls in dark forests and banished Pit-spawn in arid deserts. Adora always rolling her eyes as Catra backed away from her, arms spread wide, grin on her face, admonishing Adora for complaining about _another_ adventure.

_“Stay in Athens for plays, Adora? Where’d the fun be in that?”_

_“Ithaca? When we could be taking on a HYDRA! And you want to, what, watch a sunrise? Where’d the fun be in that?”_

_“Oh, you want to sit in and assist with negotiations? But there’s a war on! We could be at the front! HELPING. Where’s the fun in scrolls and debates, Adora?”_

She stared at the demon and saw something else in those grey-blue eyes. Something that actually _startled_ her.

The tension in Adora’s eyes; the slight fade of her smiles; the tilt of her head.

It was _hope_.

Catra looked away and heaved a sigh, “Fine, I guess just… evaporating the water off lacks a certain feel.”

Adora nodded quickly and gestured for Catra to follow her. She pushed at the main door which clicked open without a key, then led her up a flight of polished tiled stairs. Her apartment was on the second floor and didn’t seem… excessive. A simple wooden door, the number 42 stencilled onto it in faux gothic script. Catra smirked and Adora grinned her lopsided grin, “Couldn’t resist.”

Inside, Catra found herself in a relatively normal apartment. The door led into a main room, with some offshoots to bedrooms and bathroom. There was a kitchenette set to one side, the messiest part of the place, with stacked plates and mugs. A few empty beer bottles. The decor looked pretty bland, as if Adora hadn’t really bothered to personalise it much.

The living space itself had a single couch and, at the rear of the room, between the two windows, an armour stand. Catra stared.

It was a full set of Grecian armour, complete with hoplite helm, breastplate and greaves. She glanced at Adora and snorted, “Sentimental much?”

The demon shrugged but didn’t meet her eyes, gaze instead taking in the kitchen. She moved over to it and pushed the plates into the sink, “Gotta hold onto _some_ things Catra. Spent a long time here. You feel every minute of it.” 

There was an edge to her voice and Catra tensed faintly. Adora sagged and looked over her shoulder, a sad look on her face. Catra frowned, “What?”

“Is this how it’s going to be? I get even _mildly_ irate and you fluff up like someone tasered you?”

“Taser? What’s… what does that even mean?”

Adora rolled her eyes and pointed to one of the doors, “Bathroom’s there. Towels. Use the shower. You might wanna freshen up a bit if we’re going to make the most of this.”

Catra took another look around the room with a frown, “Sure….” she said, trailing the word off. Adora turned and leaned against the counter, her smirk back.

“What, expecting black candles, chains, pentagrams?”

That got an embarrassed shrug from Catra and Adora laughed. The sound sent a tingle through Catra’s spine and she relaxed faintly. The Demon snorted her giggle again and shook her head, “Creature comforts are minimal. And what would I do? I mean.. I’ll move on from here in maybe a few months, back on the road. Somewhere new. No point, y’know? I’d get a van, but doesn’t _fit_ me. The bike…. The bike is freedom. This is just a space. Somewhere to be safe, hidden, when I need to be.” 

Catra swallowed, “And… you let me in here?”

The demon cocked her head, “Yep.”

The Dominion shook her head, as if trying to dislodge something, then stalked to the bathroom. She clicked the door shut behind her and looked around. Like the rest of the apartment it didn’t have much in the way of _personality_ to it. Simple hair-wash _stuff_ , a toothbrush (Why? Why did she NEED one?) and…

Rainbow coloured towels?

They were the only real splash of _something_ in the whole place. With a shift, Catra’s suit vanished and she clambered into the shower. With a twist of her wrist she felt warm water cascade down and run across her human flesh. With a purr she shifted to her more feline form. She’d always had a bit of a love-hate relationship when bathing-as-mortal. It was the done thing…. But like tigers, she hated water until she was _in_ it. And then it felt like bliss.

Catra could almost feel the chlorine running off of her - and whilst she _could_ have just removed it, like she’d said, there was something _fulfilling_ about this. Ritualistic, almost.

She groaned under the heat and massaged her scalp, then plucked at the shower-soaps. She lathered up and bathed herself, luxuriating in the smells and the senses.

A chuckle made her squeak and she turned to see Adora leaning against the doorframe, beer bottle in hand. The demon had her gaze averted, but there was a faint blush there. Catra watched the other woman take a long swig from the bottle, then turn those grey-blue eyes sideways towards her, “Having fun?”

Catra felt suddenly self conscious and frowned at Adora, “Heard of _knocking_?”

“Since when was privacy a concern of yours, Oh Dominion Catra of the Fourth chorus?” Adora stepped towards the cubicle but paused a good few feet away, then placed another beer bottle on the side of the sink, “But, yeah… rude of me. Just thought you’d want a drink.”

The Dominion could see Adora keeping her eyes on Catra’s, rather than raking them across her. Of course she had no idea how long Adora’d been stood in the doorway. The demon gestured to the bottle and then turned and left, closing the door behind her with a click. Catra stared at the door, felt the water rolling down her back. Part of her wanted to call Adora back, to have that _moment_ , something she’d felt but just reacted against.

They’d bathed in mountain pools and lay next to each other atop Olympus to gaze at the sky.

Why was this different? Why did it feel like a boundary? Adora was just acting like they’d used to. 

But things were different, radically so. There was a barrier there, in Catra’s mind at least. And, really, the story of the _why_ didn’t matter, so she tried to tell herself. No. Adora was a Demon. Their previous interactions were as if with another person. New boundaries, no shows of vulnerability or…

Intimacy?

She sagged against the tiles and huffed, then ran her hand through her hair. Her eyes drifted shut and she saw those eyes again, staring across the bathroom. Not with anything but…. Familiarity. Fondness. And a deep _deep_ melancholy.

Adora clearly had _something_ on her mind.

She stepped out of the shower and switched it off, then began to dry herself with one of the ridiculous rainbow towels. Moments later she had re-donned her white suit and stepped out into the apartment, beer bottle in hand, like a shield. Adora was lounging on the couch and raised her bottle in salute, “ _Finally_. Think my water bill this month’s gonna be higher.”

“Please, as if you’d pay,” Catra moved over and perched on the couch’s armrest.

Adora smirked, “Fair point, well presented,” she drained the bottle, then tossed it with a flick of her wrist towards an open-top bin in the corner of the room. It landed with a glassy-clatter, indicating the bin was likely full of _more_ bottles. Adora then reached down beside the sofa and pulled up another bottle, which she opened with her teeth. Catra arched an eyebrow.

“Can take the girl away from the vikings….” she muttered. The demon chuckled.

“Amen… HAH! I made a funny,” she deadpanned and sighed, then turned her head away. Her head rested against one arm, propped behind her and she swigged gently at the beer, “So, I was thinking, if this is the last time we see each other, or whatever, we should make it a fun one… see the sights of Brightmoon. Take in the nightlife. Up for that?”

Catra peered at the beer, “How many have you had?”

Adora’s gaze tracked back to her, the smile on her face sardonic, “No where near enough. Plus, not like it can _really_ knock me for six. Not unless I _want_ it to,” her voice was a slurred purr and she giggled again. It seemed so incongruous coming from someone in pants that hugged her _just like that_ and a corset that showed off those _abs_ and those _arms_.

Catra turned her gaze away and inhaled. Truth told, for all her thoughts of boundaries, she did need _something_. And she had agreed to do this, to maybe, just maybe, find common ground somehow. She sipped the beer then looked at the bottle, “Not… that bad.”

“Yeah, not as hoppy as the stuff they used to brew down in Greece. Does the job.”

Catra stared at the floor, “Last time… we see each other?”

Adora offered a humm and nodded, “Imagine so. I mean, you’ll wash your hands of this, keep on the career track, I guess. I’ll head off somewhere else, if we come to an accord… or something else.”

The Dominion looked at her, mildly hurt, “You think all I care about is….?”

Adora’s gaze was steady, “Duty. Of course I do,” there wasn’t rancour there. Or rather there wasn’t _much:_ Some faint, masked bitterness, perhaps. But Adora smiled faintly, “You love what you do Catra. It’s part of you. It’s what you’re good at…” she shrugged and Catra watched those shoulders roll, lazily, “Me… well, let’s just go have some fun, ok?”

The demon didn’t wait for an answer and downed her beer, then tossed it into the trash. Catra hurriedly finished hers, just as Adora grasped her wrist and pulled her from the apartment. Shortly she was back on the bike, clinging to Adora as the world whipped by. The demon seemed in a rush, almost feverish in her enthusiasm.

They rolled to a stop outside a dingy looking bar. Motorbikes lined the exterior and Adora slid Swift Wind into a free space. The pair dismounted and Adora led Catra to the front door. A large man with tattoos covering most of his skin swallowed as he saw Adora approach, then stepped aside. Catra noticed several of the bulky men stand a bit further back as the demon entered.

“They know your deal?” whispered Catra. Adora chuckled.

“What, that I’m a _badasss_. Yeah, they know,” Catra rolled her eyes as Adora led her to the bar. The demon gestured to the girl behind the bar, a goth-looking twenty-something with a bored expression, “Tequila, five shots apiece. And some beer chasers.”

The girl gave Adora a once over, then frowned at Catra, nodded and busied herself preparing the drinks. Catra took in the bar and glanced at Adora, “Not what I was expecting from Brightmoon.”

“What can I say? Everywhere has its underdogs, no matter how hard people try to push them aside. You saw the railyard, the warehouses. I like the _honesty_ of these places. And sure, the city council wants this place closed down. Sends down slick-suited lawyers to try to bully them with words. But words are _my_ thing too,” Adora grinned at the bar girl as she set down two wooden blocks with five shots apiece lined up atop them. The girl smiled at Adora and Catra felt something _very_ unangelic for a moment. It must’ve registered in her face because the bar girl actually stumbled back a pace. Adora seemed not to notice and she focused on the shots, “Alright, Catra. Start of the night on the town. Let’s see where this takes us!”

\----------------

They’d been searching for half an hour, popping between various locations. They’d tried the warehouses, then the nearby forest where Adora had had her _moment_. The scene had left Bow a tad speechless. And Glimmer had just shrugged with a comment of “It happens. We managed.”

They had wandered around and then tried Adora’s apartment, but it was dark. They were outside the building and Glimmer huffed with irritation. Bow shot her a quizzical look, “What?”

“She’s not here.”

“How can you tell?”

“Wards are up. I can only get in when she’s _in_ and she _wants_ me in. But I can tell she’s not here.”

“I thought you two would…. Live together?”

Glimmer looked away, “Not that you care, but she doesn’t _do_ close. Not really,” the expression on her face told Bow that the demon hadn’t wanted to share that much. He shrugged.

“Catra’s the same,” Glimmer blinked in surprise and he continued, “She’s friendly, wants to talk… but doesn’t let you get _that_ close. I’ve known her a _long_ time and I get to know things. We bond. But…. she wants her own space a lot. Keeps some things close to her chest.”

The demon nodded slowly as she stared up at the dark apartment, “Yeah. I mean, Adora’s helped…. Like helped a _lot_. But there’s this intensity I can’t get past. And I’ve…” Glimmer swallowed and shot a glare at Bow, “Well…”

He tilted his head and gave her an encouraging smile, then tapped the heart on his chest, “You… liked her? Adora, I mean.”

Glimmer blushed and hugged herself, “What’s it to you?” her voice was small. Bow sucked a breath.

“To me? Nothing,” she turned her head to him sharply, “In that I don’t _get_ anything out of it. No advantage. No pleasure or malice. It’s a thing that is part of you and…” he rubbed the side of his neck, “I’d like to understand a bit more, if you’ll let me?”

The demon gave him a once over warily, “What’s your game?”

“Partial to chess,” he grinned at her look of confusion, “Willing to learn more of course.”

She sputtered and then quirked a _very_ faint smile, “You’re… a dork.”

“Not sure what that is, but I’ll take it. So, you know Adora. What does she do for fun?”

“Fun?”

“Yeah. I have an inkling this isn’t a fight or a fu….. Uuuuuuunky time, so maybe it’s,” he shrugged, “Reconnecting?”

Glimmer deadpanned, “Reconnecting.”

“Well, yeah. Those two, you know they have _history_ right?”

“Sort of? I know Adora hung out with Bast for a while.”

“Think less hung out and more ‘guided the development of the Mediterranean nations’. At least from a warfare front, as far as I’ve read. So, yeah…. Catra’s been thinking about her a lot, mainly since she vanished.”

At that Glimmer rolled her eyes, “Like anyone _cared_ ,” Bow held his hands up placatingly and she shook her head, “Come on, you’re saying anyone _noticed_ we were gone? Either of us?”

He nodded, “Well, yeah. But… I will admit it’s _weird_ . And the fact that you two didn’t show up _at all_ to us is pretty weird. But, yeah…. People noticed. Angella is… well Catra met her and the word she used to describe her is _sad_ ….”

Glimmer laughed, a mocking bark of a sound, “Oh poor her. She told me I needed to learn about the world and sent me to _hell_!”

“Did she?” probed Bow carefully, “Or did she send you here and you got…. Diverted?”

Glimmer glared and shrugged, “I mean, maybe. We said that might’ve happened. BUT STILL! She kicked me out! For asking _questions_.”

Bow nodded, sympathetically, “I get it. We just all do our thing, happy with it. But…. why the questions?”

“My dad! Just… vanished. And no one _cared_. NO ONE!”

“Your mom…”

“MY MOM DIDN’T!” Glimmer shouted and her wings sprang up from behind her. THey weren’t feathered - instead they were more like those of a dragon-fly - transparante, with black structures interlaced through them, akin to a darkened stained-glass window. They were like black gossamer. Bow stared and couldn’t help a low whistle escape from his lips. Glimmer trembled and he held up his hands carefully.

“Ok, sorry. Too much. And… I don’t know _anything_ about that.”

“ _She_ was the only one who cared. And she has helped when no one else would.”

Bow nodded, “She does need something,” he winced, feeling like he was betraying Catra, “Or says she does.”

Glimmer shrugged, “She saved me before she even _knew_ who I was in the Pit. She helped me before I told her dad was missing too. And she’s done more.”

Bow nodded slowly, “Which is why you like her.”

She stared at him and shrugged with faint embarrassment, “But… yeah… she doesn’t _do_ close. Doesn’t let anyone in,” her gaze hardened, “Until _she_ turned up.”

He ignored her tone and waved a hand, “Unfinished business. Such things are great stories made of and all that. So, fun.”

“Fun,” the word twisted in Glimmer’s mouth, “Uhm… well…” Bow narrowed his eyes.

“You do _know_ the word.” 

“Yeah, well, Adora’s idea of fun and mine… not so much the same.”

He smirked, “What, you’re more about tempting humans to sin by, what, browbeating them?”

The purple-haired girl huffed, “I don’t _do_ that. I may have fallen into the Pit but… I don’t _want_ to do that stuff. No interest. I’ll just… find my dad. Quickest way I can. And no one gets in my way.” 

Bow leaned away, “Noted!” he squeaked under her intense glare, “For the record: not stopping you. So, what does _Adora_ do for fun?”

“Drinking. Fighting. Bringing sinners to justice. Motorbiking. Paintballing.”

“Paintwhatting?”

“Yeah, don’t see the appeal. Uhm… yeah, she goes to the woods to chase humans sometimes. Mainly cheating husbands or wives. Or just to spook people. Burn of the excess….” Glimmer trailed off awkwardly.

“Excess what?”

“Not, uh… really my place to say. It’s, um. Curse related. Anyway, why do you think they’re going to be all pally?”

“Those two? Ehhh… not my place to say,” he winced and tapped his chest again. She widened her eyes and blew a breath.

“Shiiiiit,” he nodded and she met his gaze, “So um… why is it still glowing?”

Bow averted his gaze, “Well, um, ambient… stuff, mortal resonances and… yeah.”

Glimmer narrowed her gaze at him, “Mortal...?”

“Resonances. Cherub stuff. Very complicated,” he coughed and looked away. Glimmer cocked her head and the ghost of a smile passed over her face. She looked away and around.

“Ok, fun Adora… ummmm… bars. We’ve tried a few….”

“Hey, if you don’t do _fun_ why were you both at that club?”

Glimmer shrugged, “That was business.”

“Inciting riots?” Bow quipped, without rancour. Glimmer moved her head from side to side.

“Eh, sort of. Searching. Getting some local muscle to help out, in exchange for… assistance. Adora does that talking,” she frowned at him, “Why am I telling you this?”

“I have that kind of face,” he shrugged, “And maybe you want to reassure me it’s not some evil, diabolical plan?”

She smirked, “Not evil. But a just one. We get the humans to act on those impulses, the injustice, we help tear down a corrupt and broken system, spread some chaos and then we can more easily find stuff out.”

“How does _rioting_ help you find a missing archangel?” Bow spread his hands, confused beyond belief.

“You’d be surprised. Lets our little friend online find stuff from secure locations, blips of info. Plus… keeps Shadow bitch off our back if we stir a little trouble up.”

Bow chuckled, “You have _quotas_?”

Glimmer gave him a tired frown, “Like you wouldn’t _believe_ .” 

“Killing people?” he tried to keep his tone light. She scoffed.

“No, just… getting them to act on their worst impulses.”

“Thought you said you didn’t _do_ that,” Bow challenged. She quirked an eyebrow.

“I don’t. All Adora. I help a bit, but… I don’t do it as a day activity. Only when we have to get things _done_. Keep my hands as far away as I can from that.”

He frowned, “Letting her take the fall, huh? Woa! No need to look like that. Just seems… harsh if she’s already…”

“It was her idea.”

“Ooooooh kay. Not expecting that,” he peered at her, “Why?”

Glimmer snuffled and laughed, “Maybe she thinks it keeps me… clean? Cleaner? Better chance of going to heaven when we find dad?”

He looked back up at the apartment, then at the deserted street around them, “You want to go back?”

Glimmer scuffed her feet on the pavement, “No. Maybe? I…” she swallowed and breathed out, her jaw working as the tension crossed her face, “I… just wish I knew _why_ … why she _threw me away_.”

Bow moved without thinking. His wings came out and he wrapped her in a hug. His white-gold wings enveloped her gently. He felt her tense in his embrace, “Sorry… should’ve asked. Bit, um… yeah, sorry.”

He made to move away, but her hands came up behind him and gripped his shoulders. He heard her heave a wrenching sob, followed by a sniffle as she clung to him. He tightened his grip and rested his chin on top of her head and made gentle, reassuring noises. Slowly, she relaxed and he took a tentative step back, hands on her shoulders. His eyes explored her face, which was slack with confusion. She didn’t meet his eyes, “Alright. One crazy mess at a time, right?”

She snorted and nodded faintly, “Yeah… so where are our idiots?”

Something buzzed in Bow’s pocket and he fished out his phone. He frowned at the unfamiliar number and answered, “Um, hi?”

_“If you two insipid celestials are done bonding, I have identified a potential locale where our wandering annoyances were spotted. Timestamp was an hour ago, but it might be a good place to start.”_

Bow stared at the phone and glanced at Glimmer who just mouthed _“Hordak?”_ He nodded and shrugged, “Uh, thanks… I think? Where is it?”

“ _That is pathetically simple. Follow the cloud of smoke and sirens.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a preamble as we build to the REAL SHENANIGANS! And also, maybe, something else.
> 
> As ever, COMMENT AWAY. It recharges me, brings me to life and guarantees I'll produce the next chapter faster ;)
> 
> SEE! BRIBERY WORKS!


	17. A covenant of equals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A night on the town, what could go wrong?
> 
> Things couldn't get any more complicated, could they?
> 
> A demon and an angel with unresolved issues, with a dash of alcohol. All will be well...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Credit to:
> 
> Castle  
> Cover by Corvyx
> 
> For the musical extract in this chapter. Lyrics originally by Halsey
> 
> I hope you enjoy this little bit of fun and fluff ;)

The night was going… ‘ _ well ‘  _ wasn’t the word Catra’d have used. But it was  _ interesting _ . The biker bar had just been the start; they’d sunk the shots and then ended up playing a game of pool. 

Strange things were happening to Catra - mainly whenever Adora bent over the pool table to take a shot. And every time she did it, the crowd around the table grew. At points, Adora would flash a half smirk Catra’s way whilst half draped over the green velvet, her back arched and visible through the top.

The bar-girl had sauntered over with more beers and tried to give Catra a challenging look. That had backfired as Adora had wandered over and draped an arm over Catra’s shoulders, a move that had partly scrambled some of Catra’s more resilient thoughts.

_ We used to touch all the time! What  _ is _ this? Just because I haven’t seen her… _

The slightly tight smile she shot at the bar girl, coupled with Adora’s amused grin had sent the girl scampering away again.

Then someone had smacked Adora on the rear as she had lined up another shot.

Catra barely saw the demon move. One moment over the table, then next she had a fat biker pinned, three feet from the floor, against the wall, “Ah ah ah. Don’t  _ touch _ ,”

Her voice was a snarl, a lilting cadence to it. Catra had been about to step in when Adora leaned close to the man and spoke softly to him. She saw the biker nod stiffly. Adora had released him and he’d walked to the bar, bought a rack of tequila and brought it back to the pool table. The other bikers had stepped back to give Adora more room and, by extension, seemed to extend Catra the same courtesy.

Shortly after, a rather impromptu bar fight had broken out. Adora had kept playing, as if oblivious, but Catra could  _ feel _ the energy radiating from the demon. The Dominion’d tried to stay out of it but had intervened to patch up one biker who’d taken a barstool to the head, then had managed to calm the rest and  _ encouraged _ them back to their beers. Adora had leaned against her pool cue and watched with the ghost of a smile on her face. Then she’d sunk the black and dragged Catra back outside.

They’d walked further along, towards a nicer looking district. Which was how they’d then started something of a  _ commotion _ at a nicer bar, where Adora’d requested a table and  _ gotten _ one, despite the crowd. She’d ordered some finger food along with some rather scandalous sounding cocktails. The queue at the front of the bar looked  _ antsy _ . And also rather better dressed than Adora in her cut off  _ everything _ . Catra, for her part, seemed to blend in better.

The demon had just sipped her drink and made idle chatter about the  _ good old days _ . Then she’d ordered a cocktail with sparklers in it. Another patron had stomped over to the table and made a scene about  _ appropriate _ attire and Adora’s drink had spilled and, considering its alcohol level was proof that (if it were in court) would have led to conviction unanimously, the sparkler set it ablaze rather quickly.

The table became a small pyre and Adora had made a mock sheepish expression as she’d dragged Catra free.

Which was where they were now, idly wandering down a deserted part of the shopping district. Behind them, sirens blared and the sound of water being blasted from hoses could dimly be made out.

Catra frowned at Adora as the demon hopped onto a raised balustrade and walked along it, arms outstretched as if balancing.

“You’re being an idiot.”

Adora snorted and looked at her, then folded her arms, perfectly stable on top of the thin rail. Then she stuck her tongue out and moved her leg into some sort of yoga post, then lifted it  _ again _ untll it was  _ straight up _ in front of her.

Catra blinked and her eyes widened. Adora smirked, “What? Live a little Catra. Dance like the world isn’t watching. You used to.”

There’s something in those words. A rebuke. Catra sighed, “Times change, Adora.”   


“Don’t they just,” hummed the demon, her face sad again, “You were always happy to dance with the nyads or drink an Athenean under the table. You were first in, last out…”   


“And you always seemed so… indifferent to it,” frowned Catra.

Adora shrugged, “I wasn’t there for that.”   


“Yes, you were there doing your duty, I just  _ enjoyed  _ it more.”   


“I was there for you,” Adora hopped off the rail and shrugged, “Duty can fucking do one.”

She turned and walked away, then paused and beckoned the angel. Catra watched her continue to walk away then shook herself and jogged after her, “Wait, what?”

Adora snorted and gave her a sideline look, “I watched your back, Catra. I always used duty as an  _ excuse _ . I was… looking for a reason to come down here.”

“And I was that reason? So you could play around with the mortals?” snorted Catra, hopeful but also a little angry.

“No. That was always  _ your _ game. Was…. no, coming down here was the excuse.  _ You _ were the reason,” the blonde looked to her side and a lazy grin slid over her face. In the street light, she was haloed for the briefest moment, “But… you only cared about the moment, the immediacy. And I took what I could.”

This was… honesty? Revelation? Catra had always assumed that Adora was… a good friend? A confidant? Someone she could trust, yes. But she'd only considered _that_ in her midnight dreams. Her furthest passions. Adora was the _daughter of God_. Out of her league. So she'd always ignored that part of her, the bit that acknowledged the connection, the _feeling_ of something beyond. Kept it friendly. Ignored it to the point she could convince herself she'd _forgotten_ how deep that emotion went. That it was just how beings with such a bond operated. Friends. Comrades. Partners...

And that part of her had been _very_ insistent the past few decades. And most recently...

She sputtered, “You had… you went to the North. Other parts of the Tribal east…”   


Adora shrugged, “We all need space. We all have issues that we don’t want to burden others with,” her voice was quiet as she paused under a light. For the briefest moment it flickered, “I’m not  _ just _ a Seraph. Or I wasn’t. I’m the  _ daughter _ of fucking  _ god _ Catra. My destiny was pretty ruddy ordained. So… yeah, damn right I wanted to just…. Enjoy a friendship. Companionship. A connection. Before I got… sucked in.”

“Slumming it with us lesser folks, huh?” Catra isn’t sure why she’s so… aggravated. She twitches and looks at Adora. She can see faint flecks of red in the other woman’s eyes, but they’re muted. Adora closed her eyes and turned her head slightly.

“Hardly. There’s that bullshit  _ ranking _ . Like a Virtue is worthless? A Seraph needs their boots licked?”   


“And hell  _ doesn’t _ have hierarchy?”

“It’s more honest about it!”

“Spoken like a true fallen!”

Adora blinked and laughed, bitterly, “Well, hard to not be when Heaven kinda  _ shows  _ you the reason why people rebelled,” she planted her hands on her hips and Catra had to force herself to maintain eye contact. She sees no malice in those Blue eyes. Just frustration. It made Catra take a steadying breath. That strange foreign irritation is still there, though. She thinks she recognises it. And, really... she isn't angry _at_ Adora. There's something under there. A fear? A certainty? Her anger isn't _real_. It;s like she's feeling she _should_ be angry... because she's an ANGEL. And it feels forced. This was _Adora_. Of any being in the cosmos... Adora had earned at least... AT LEAST her attention.

“I... I’m not saying I  _ don’t _ believe you, Adora. And… ok that was a really inappropriate thing to say,” she folded her arms and gave a shrug, “But.. look at this.  _ All _ of this…”

The demon stepped back against the railing and cocked her head, “I feel we’re going in circles, Catra. I get it. I’m a demon. It’s a  _ shock _ . You’re here to kill me.  _ It’s a mood _ ,” her voice was sing song and she lolled her head back, “So, for tonight, can we just get fucking  _ wasted _ and forget the big picture stuff and the deep conversations? For  _ once _ I don’t want to think about the future. Duty. Hope. Despair. Any of that crap. I just want  _ to exist _ and have a fun time with a friend I haven’t seen.”

Her head came back up and she smiled faintly at Catra. The Dominion bit her lip and sagged, then nodded, “I'm not here to... Ugh... Fine…”

“You never used to be such a buzzkill,” smirked Adora. She snapped her fingers, “DANCING!”

In the distance they could hear sirens and they both gazed back at a faint plume of smoke. Catra groaned and Adora grinned as the Dominion turned a glare on her, “You did that on purpose.”

“I plead the fifth,” chuckled the Demon.

“What does that even  _ mean? _ Is it… is it like the floss thing?”

Adora’s eyes bulged and she snorted, then doubled over and slapped her thigh. With a wheeze she straightened and planted her hands back on her hips. Once more, Catra had to  _ keep her eyes on Adora’s _ , “Ok, definitely dancing. Come on.”

Catra felt her hand grabbed and then she was yanked along. The strange sensation of anger had fled now, like a shadow under intense light and she nodded to herself as she watched Adora’s back. Her eyes traced the bare flesh under the top, revealed in the street-lights. Muscled, toned, defined.

What was Adora’s endgame? What was  _ Catra’s _ ? She pushed it from her mind. Tonight was…. A chance. A chance to just reconnect for an evening. For one night.

And Adora had confessed she felt something. Something that she then  _ hadn’t _ elaborated on.

Catra remembered those shady days in the sun. Partaking of mortal joys, of life. Experiencing those fleeting emotions. She’d always thought Adora had been so focused on her duty, her  _ future _ ; that she saw it all as meaningless because it was temporary, whilst Catra had indulged.

And now she felt guilty. Because Adora had, apparently, only been there to be… with her? As a way of avoiding her future? Did she not partake because she was worried she’d get attached and thus never be able to really enjoy it again?

Was that why she’d always been a bit distant? A bit sad? Why she’d always beamed whenever Catra had nudged her, taken joy in that briefest of moments that seemed, in Catra’s now detail-etched memory, so  _ warm _ and genuine. She remembered how Adora had always looked at  _ her _ . Had always supported  _ her _ . Had been this rock, begrudgingly helping when  _ Athena _ became the focus, but was mainly in the dirt and the blood with Catra.

Everywhere else she’d been aloof, regal and commanding. A smiling face, but always faintly distant.

Never with Catra. Always so there… until Catra decided to get  _ involved _ or too knee deep. Focused on some mortal, or some local individuals. Then Adora would quietly excuse herself.

It was confusing.

She blinked and realised they were at the front of the queue to some rather flashy venue. Not at all like the warehouse, this place was all glass and well-dressed club-goers. Adora smiled at the doorman and rolled her shoulders while in the line next to them mortals grumbled and shot them dirty looks, “We’re on the VIP list,” drawled the demon. There was a cadence to her voice and Catra rolled her eyes.

“You’re on the VIP list,” monotone the bouncer before he unhooked the rope across the door. Someone in the line shouted and Adora smiled, all teeth. The nearest patrons stepped back briefly and the pair walked in.

“That’s  _ twice _ tonight you’ve used your charmspeak.”   


“Who’s counting?” shrugged Adora, “Not like I’m starting a riot.”

“That was a piece of work back in Angle-land.”

Adora smirked, “I swear you do that on purpose. Winding up the Archangels yet?”

Catra snorted and lashed her tail lazily, “Girl has to have a hobby,” she actually smiled as Adora laughed and shouldered her. Catra shoved her back and, giggling, the pair stumbled through the lobby into the dark, neon strobe of the club. It felt like old times and, for the barest moment, Catra was able to forget Adora’s nature.  _ One night. Just let me have this one night _ _. _

Was she asking Mara? She wasn’t sure. She had something in her chest. She knew what it was, despite her dancing around Bow’s arched eyebrows and everyone’s knowing gazes.

But the situation - an angel and a demon?

No. Enemies. Opposites. Now, at least. And for evermore.

But  _ one night _ . For the sake of a millenia of loyalty, kindness and…  _ love _ . Even if she hadn’t understood or really  _ seen _ it. She could give Adora a night. And she would  _ take _ it herself, for not seeing sooner her own heart.

Even if she had to crucify that heart in the light of day.

The thought troubled her, but she was brought up short as they found the bar. She stared as Adora lounged across the expanse and  _ flirted _ with the barman. SHe felt bile,  _ actual bile _ , rise in her throat. Then Adora turned and smiled.

Not a smirk. Not a cocky grin. But a genuine smile of  _ pleasure _ . Catra managed a faint one in return as Adora pushed a large cocktail at her.

“Bottoms up. We’re gonna tear this place up….”

  
  


\--------------------

The building was….

Well it wasn’t really  _ there _ anymore.

Bow and Glimmer stared at the crowd of firefighters and the gawking crowd.

What was weird was how the buildings on either side were  _ completely untouched _ . The demon glanced at Bow and he winced.

“Soooo… guessing a fire, demonic?”

She shrugged, “I mean, you guys use it too.”

“A fight, you think?” he hazarded. Glimmer shook her head.

“Adora is… a bit reckless? The fact most of the buildings are intact and there isn’t a body count… ehh, I’m going with  _ nerp _ .”

“Nerp?”

“Nope. Nadda. NYET. Not her.”

“Then… what?”

“One moment,” she  _ bamfed _ away and Bow pinched the bridge of his nose. She reappeared in a flurry of glitter, a human alongside her. She had her arm around the man’s upper arm and he was wearing firefighting gear. She tapped him on the helmet and the man blanked in shock, “Hey, strippogram. What happened?”

“Uhhh….”

“You’re in shock, got hit on the head, just tell us what happened,” continued the diminutive demon. The firefighter nodded.

“So, table fire… apparently customers panicked, knocked over some other things, spread the blaze. Then the bar caught fire, along with some high proof deserts. Sack of flour in the kitchen exploded and someone had a stash of fireworks stored in a service corridor and… yeah. Boom. Then a load of bikers started looting the place and that sorted stopped us being able to easily get in, save the place. Damn shame. Pricey but… not a bad restaurant.”

Bow blinked, then looked at the buildings, “Aaaaand the rest are still standing because?”

“No idea. Damndest thing, like the fire just… stopped at the periphery.”

Glimmer and Bow exchanged a look. She shrugged then vanished, firefighter in tow. A moment later she was back, “What was that then?”

Bow stared at the building and pursed his lips, “Think Adora tried something and Catra… warded it. Probably instinctively. Protection, to minimise collateral.”   


“So she doesn’t trust Adora,” huffed Glimmer. Bow tilted his head and gestured to the burnt out building. She rolled her eyes, “Like,  _ one _ thing. Probably an accident…”

Bow folded his arms, “Oh?”

“Eh, place was stuffy. Snobs. Loads of really shitty deals went on in the VIP lounge there,” Glimmer shrugged. Bow smirked.

“So, what, this is a good thing?”

“Not a  _ bad _ thing.”

“Well.. no one got hurt I suppose,” he eyed the building and chuckled, “Seems like they might be… having fun?”

Glimmer grunted, “Who has time for that?”

The Cherub looked at her and gasped, “What? I… you…  _ dancing _ . Jumping! RUNNING! You know, enjoying stuff?”

“That’s Adora’s  _ thing _ . I have a  _ mission _ . I need to get shit  _ done _ heart-boy. No time for distractions.”

Bow pursed his lips, then gestured to the city around them, “Parallel planning demo- Ok I can’t call you demon girl. Can I call you Glimmer?”

“No.”

“Ok then Glimmer, how much luck have you  _ had _ with your search,” She scowled at him and he went on, “And you have a mini Hordak helping. You can’t do everything and it might actually… be  _ not _ helping.”

Her glare became uncertain, “What?”

“Look… I do a  _ lot _ of work around… making connections. Helping people find each other. Not the  _ same _ . I don’t do missing persons. BUT I know that trying to do everything, being so focused… it  _ doesn’t _ help. It makes it  _ worse _ . Corinth, I ran myself ragged this one time. Got things wrong, missed stuff, set the wrong souls up… spent two decades having to correct things. So, you absolutely whip yourself you’re going to  _ miss _ things.”

Glimmer huffed, “Getting side tracked here, Cupid.”

“ _ Not Cupid _ . But… no, not really. Nothing wrong with, at some point, maybe, I don’t know,“ he rubbed the back of his neck, “Maybe just… having a breather?”

She stared at him, “With you, right?”

He smiled, “Great idea! I’ll set something up.”

The demon shook her head, shocked, “Wait,  _ what _ ?”

Bow plucked his phone out and ignored her, “Hey, Hordak… ummm…”

“ _ Ah. The romantic simpleton. Wonderful. You may wish to investigate reports of a… disturbance at a club.” _

“Uhhh… no fire?”

_ “No. I believe the term is ‘flashmob’. Followed by ‘bar brawl’. Or possibly orgy. Frankly, it appears unpleasantly saccharine.” _

Bow blinked, “Ok. Thank you. Hanging up now,” he blew out a breath then looked at a consternated Glimmer, “How do you feel about… clubs?”

_ \------- _

They’d drunk a  _ lot _ . It didn’t matter so much, but with their… influences toned down to keep the peace (and because Catra had jabbed a finger into Adora’s sternum and accused her of ‘ _ putting out those demon vibes’ _ ) their bodies were a bit more  _ mortal _ . It also hadn’t helped that Adora had leaned closer to be heard over the club noise and her hair had cascaded down like a curtain as she’d whispered in Catra’s ear:

“I can do other vibes…”

She’d pulled back with a laugh and Catra had blinked as she heard Adora’s tell tale snort that she was  _ ridiculously _ pleased with herself.

It was stupid! Catra was the one who flustered  _ Adora _ ! Always had been! She’d managed a, “Sh...shut up!”

Adora had cocked her head and widened her eyes, “Wait… do you  _ like _ me, Catra,” she’d put a hand on her chest, as if shocked, “How  _ embarrassing _ for you, OH DOMINION OF THE FOURTH CHORUS!”

“I don’t _ like _ you!”

“I… I didn’t say anything,” Adora’d smirked, then grinned widely and ordered another batch of drinks.

Which was why Catra was feeling…. A bit psyched up. Adora too, by the looks of her. Around her some of the patrons were getting antsy and Catra shot her a glare. Adora waved a hand unsteadily.

“S’not… s’not something I can…  _ help _ , y’know? Like… like… like… you.  _ YOU _ can’t help with the awe ‘n stuff ‘n stuff.”   


“Did… di’you say stuff twice?”

Adora nodded sagely, “Ayup. Cos you gots  _ lots _ of  _ stuff _ Catra. Lots.”

Catra had snickered, “You eyeing my  _ stuff? _ ”

That had gotten a pair of upraised hands, “Consent ‘s impro… impot… propo… good. Anyway, my point… my  _ point _ ,” Catra had found Adora’s finger leveled at her nose as the blonde focused on her. The Dominion crossed her eyes trying to focus on it. It was a  _ nice _ finger she decided. Not an  _ evil _ finger.  _ Cos Adora’s a demon. And demons are evil. But Adora’s not evil. Ergo… NOT AN EVIL FINGER! LOGIC! _

Adora had snorted as Catra steadied herself against the bar. The Dominion gestured, “Go on, oh worldly wise scholar.”   


“Oh, fancy. Talkin’ in sensh...santorin… long word things. My  _ point _ is that you have that  _ angel stuff _ . Also all that  _ Catra _ stuff. Which is better’n the angel stuff. Can’t help it, right? People stare at you and go  _ ohhhh nooooo save me! I am now lesbeeeen…. _ Right? Or whatever humeeens wanna call it now.”

Catra nodded sagely, then grinned, “You like my Catra stuff? How embarrassing for you!”

Adora waggled a finger, “Never said I din’t… not  _ recently _ , ‘course. SO, HAH! CHECKMATE KITTY!”

Catra groaned, “Stop with the kitty thingie… I am not a cat. Not a cat. Cat’s are  _ me _ . I am the original and best.”

“AMEN!” roared Adora and she leaned back, giggling, “You get that Mom! SHE’S the best! HAH!” Adora stuck her middle fingers up and aimed them at the ceiling. A figure appeared next to her -  _ another _ guy. THis one was tall, slim and with a confident smirk.

“Hey, you ladies look like you’re having a  _ fun _ time, room for one mooooOEEEEEEEEEIIIIII.”

Adora had moved  _ again.  _ Without looking, one hand had shot down and grabbed the man’s crotch and  _ squeezed.  _ She slumped her head forwards and grinned at Catra, who stared at the distressed man. The Dominion blinked  _ slowly _ at Adora, then looked at the man, “My friend, you fucked up. We were having a  _ chat _ . I th...think my friend wants you to  _ fornicate beyond _ .”

“It’s  _ fuck off _ , Catra,” admonished Adora. She twisted her wrist, then let go. The man’s eyes crossed and he tumbled away, to the disgust of the crowd. Some of them even poured drinks on him, “And... _ friends _ . Ouch.”   


Catra felt… emboldened. She shrugged and sipped her drink, “Well, not seeing evidence to the  _ contrary _ .”

Adora stared at her and Catra met that stare. She cheered inside a little bit as Adora seemed wrong footed for a moment. Then the blonde grinned and downed her drink. She stood and held out a hand, “Would the pretty lady care for a dance?”

Catra tapped her chin with a claw. The alcohol was… impairing her current human disguise in part. But… she didn’t really care. She grinned and let Adora lead her to the dance floor.

They swayed, a few feet apart, in time with the music. Catra was out of practice and mostly just moved her hips and shimmied. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the feel of the strumming bass and the strange, low vocals. Her eyes opened and she stared.

Adora…. Adora could  _ dance _ . No… not just dance.

_ Own the room. _

Catra had seen the temple custodians of Aphrodite. The consorts of Boetia and had met Phryne. But that paled to the liquid…  _ sex _ that Adora radiated.

The blonde opened up her blue eyes and fixed them on Catra with a slow grin. When she spoke, her words washed across the crowd,  _ “Dance with me.” _

Catra felt the wash of energy. But it didn’t feel threatening. The nearest clubbers shivered and seemed to sway more in time. Adora slowly advanced on Catra. Behind her, the other dancers moved together, their movements identical. They followed Adora, echoed her steps and body jerks as the demon swayed. A new song switched in, cutting in over the old one and Adora grinned. Her teeth seemed sharper for a moment and her eyes held a  _ hunger _ that thrilled Catra.

She’d been looked at with lust. She’d been eyed with longing.

But no one had  _ ever _ looked at her the way Adora did. And, she realised, she’d seen that same look on Adora’s face before. But tinged with… regret? Wistfulness?

Now it was unchained.

The lyrics kicked in, the minor key underneath haunting and threatening at the same time. The voice was light, male, suggestive.

_ Sick of all these people talking, sick of all this noise _

_ Tired of all these cameras flashing, sick of being poised _

_ And now my neck is open wide _

_ Begging for a fist around it _

_ Already choking on my pride _

_ So there's no use crying about it _

Adora rocked her hips with every punctuated beat, her eyes on Catra. She rolled her shoulders and tossed her hair. And behind her, the impromptu dance troupe followed on. The demon  _ strutted _ forwards and curled her hand in a  _ come hither _ beckon. Catra managed to tilt her chin up and shot Adora a challenging look.

The demon quirked her lips and stepped forward again.

_ I'm headed straight for the castle _

_ They wanna make me their queen _

_ And there's an old man sitting on the throne _

_ That's saying that I probably shouldn't be so mean _

_ I'm headed straight for the castle _

_ They've got this kingdom locked up _

_ And there's an old man sitting on the throne _

_ That's saying I should probably keep my pretty mouth shut _

_ (Straight for the castle) _

Adora was in her space now and slowly, descended in front of Catra, her hands just above Catra’s waist. The Dominion felt frozen in place, arms splayed, mouth open. Adora was practically squatting in front of her, eyes staring up at Catra, not breaking contact. Then she rose again, twisting gently from side to side as she did so.

_ All of these minutes passing, sick of feeling used _

_ If you wanna break these walls down _

_ You're gonna get bruised _

_ And now my neck is open wide _

_ Begging for a fist around it _

_ Already choking on my pride _

_ So there's no use crying about it _

She tilted her head to one side as she came up, her pale neck open, vulnerable. Catra swallowed a breath and a smile ghosted across Adora’s face, a smirk of near victory. The dancers swayed and jerked their shoulders beyond. Half the club seemed in thrall now, all synchronised into different pulses of movement. Adora leaned forward as the chorus hit.

_ I'm headed straight for the castle _

_ They wanna make me their queen _

_ And there's an old man sitting on the throne _

_ That's saying that I probably shouldn't be so mean _

_ I'm headed straight for the castle _

_ They've got this kingdom locked up _

_ And there's an old man sitting on the throne _

_ That's saying I should probably keep my pretty mouth shut _

Adora’s face was close now, her breath on Catra’s lips, eyes hooded. Flecks of red swam in the blue.

_ There's no use crying about it _

_ There's no use crying about it _

_ There's no use crying about it _

_ There's no use crying about it _

Adora’s hands were on her hips and she helped Catra sway to the strum and thrum of the music. Catra felt it in her gut, her core. Her mouth opened wider and she let out a small gasp.

_ I'm headed straight for the castle _

_ They wanna make me their queen _

_ And there's an old man sitting on the throne _

_ That's saying that I probably shouldn't be so mean _

_ I'm headed straight for the castle _

_ They've got this kingdom locked up _

_ And there's an old man sitting on the throne _

_ That's saying I should probably keep my pretty mouth shut _

Hands slid up her sides and caressed her arms.Catra tried to lean forwards but Adora pulled back slightly, her own mouth open. An eyebrow, dark against pale skin, arched as if in question. Catra was  _ almost _ ashamed of the whimper that came out of her throat. She felt hands cup her cheeks, fingertips draw across her skin. Her disguise was gone now and she was her normal, cat-like self.

Adora’s face was painfully sincere.

_ Straight for the castle _

_ They wanna make me their queen _

_ And there's an old man sitting on the throne _

_ That's saying that I probably shouldn't be so mean _

_ I'm headed straight for the castle _

_ They've got this kingdom locked up _

_ And there's an old man sitting on the throne _

_ That's saying I should probably keep my pretty mouth shut _

_ Straight for the castle _

Lips ghosted hers and a tongue flicked to taste her. Then Adora was a foot away, eyes blown, smile mischievous. Catra followed for a moment and gasped. The blonde held her steady then glanced around. She grinned and leaned forward.

“Want to get out of here?”

Catra managed to look around briefly, her gaze still drawn to Adora. Her mind was a sudden haze of shock and  _ want _ . She saw the humans around were still dancing, but their movements were far more  _ alluring _ . Far more debauched. She looked back at Adora who smirked. Catra took a breath, “You….?”

That got a slightly embarrassed flash from the demon, who stepped back a little further. The music thudded around them as the clubbers got… very involved with one another. Catra felt Adora’s hands slide down to hers and let herself be pulled out into the night air. As she walked, she let her power soak in, pushed back at the  _ other _ influences she could feel. The alcohol. The faintest hint of demonic influence.

The clubbers seemed to come back to themselves, at least partially. But she was pulled along.

Strangely… her own emotions didn’t change. Adora  _ hadn’t _ charmed her.

Which caused a skip in her chest.

Outside, she caught a glimpse, suddenly, of a man in uniform, talking to the man who Adora had…  _ removed _ recently from their presence. The policeman turned, then yelled something. Adora flipped the cop the bird, then, Catra in tow, yanked her away. They ran. Catra exulted in it, the sudden feeling of Adora’s hand in hers, the memory of that dance.

A dance that was  _ for _ her. She realised that in a rush.

An  _ offering _ .

She was falling. Falling.

In the  _ best _ way.

The  _ worst _ way.

She could hear footsteps behind, pursuit. And suddenly, there was Swift Wind. Catra stumbled in surprise and Adora laughed, as Catra realised they were back at the Pool bar. She pulled Catra behind her as she vaulted onto the bike. They’d been running for? A few minutes? Sirens. Why were there sirens?

Adora looked over her shoulder and smiled, “I think maybe they’ve connected the bar brawl, the fire aaaand the club…. Brightmooners work  _ fast _ . Hang on babe.”   


The engine gunned and they were off. Catra looked over her shoulder as a police car swung onto the road behind them. Adora powered the bike through back streets then onto the main road. She wove around a bus, but the police car kept pace. The demon laughed and Catra clung on. Her mind tried to grab her attention with important information such as:  _ you are an angel. You can fly. You can make this go away _ .

Adora swung the bike sharply into a skidding u-turn and the police car hurtled past. Catra blinked and saw the vehicle turn, but catch the corner of a curb awkwardly. It tumbled. She sucked in a breath and flung her arm out. Her whip extended and latched to the car, righting it before it rolled properly. She hauled it back and saw Adora had her yes on her. The demon smiled and arched an eyebrow, then gunned the engine again.

They sped on. More police cars seemed to be in on the pursuit. Catra was, frankly,  _ surprised _ . She yelled in Adora’s ear, “All this for a burned table and a few punches?”

Adora leaned back and Catra felt her rest the back of her head on the feline’s shoulder. It pushed them even closer, if possible, despite Catra already clutching at her waist, “I  _ may _ also have some outstanding arrest warrants for protest related activities.”

Catra huffed, “Of  _ course _ you do.”

Adora crowed, “Brightmoon’s most wanted baby! WOOO!” she spread her arms and Catra squeaked in shock, but the bike kept going. Adora turned her head on Catra’s shoulder and their faces were inches apart, “No hands…. Frees them up, y’know?”

Catra looked into eyes that seemed a  _ lot _ more red now. She frowned, “Adora.”

The demon winced suddenly, then leaned back to grip the handlebars, “Shit. No… SHIT. It… it can’t.  _ No. _ ”

“Adora…”

“We need… we…”

The motorbike sped up as Adora spun it down a side street. She swerved and threaded through alleyways and roads, then found the highway out of town. Her grip on the bike’s handlebars were white knuckle.

At the city limits, she skidded to a halt and slumped across the front of the bike. Catra shook her, “Adora… ADORA.”   


“You… you need to… get away.”

“What? WHAT? Why?”

Adora turned her head and swallowed thickly, “I need to… get  _ out _ . Before… before…”

Catra stared at her and nodded, “You’re going to Bulk out?”

The smile that came her way was heartbreaking. Adora stroked Catra’s cheek, “You goof.”

“Ok. Where do we need to go…”

“I said… you need to..”

“Where. Do. We. Need. To. Go. Don’t make me repeat myself, idiot,” Adora nodded and winced again, then pointed to the woods, barely visible in the distance. Catra huffed, then shoved Adora out of the way as she clambered in front of her to grip the handlebars, “Right… how hard can this be…”

Adora shrieked as Catra kicked the engine back into gear and they powered off down the road, weaving erratically.

  
  


\---------------------------

Bow pursed his lips tight as he stared around the club interior. Paramedics were busy, mostly administering much needed hydration to several exhausted looking clubbers. Glimmer herself looked unimpressed. With a sigh, Bow headed for the bar and hooked a bottle of beer, then gestured to Glimmer, “Sit.”

“Excuse me?”

“Just… please? So, um… is  _ this _ normal?”

Glimmer looked awkward, “Uhhhh nooooooo.”

A whimper behind the bar made Bow peer over it. He winced. Glimmer looked over then raised both eyebrows and gave a thumbs up, “Wow.”

Bow nodded vigorously, “Wow. I didn’t know you could use a bottle like that.”   


“Are they ok?” Glimmer cocked her head and frowned.

Bow drank his beer. All of it. Then he fished another bottle off the bar. Glimmer smirked, “What?” he asked.

“Minesweeping? So. um…?”   


“Yeah they’re… ok… but they’re um,” he glanced back down behind the bar, “Still… going….”

Glimmer nodded slowly, “Adora has… a bunch of excess energy. It’s… shit should I tell you this…?”

“Well, if you don’t want to… but it might  _ help _ track them both?”

“Ugh,  _ fine _ . Adora basically… bleeds energy. Demons and fallen, we… exude emotional energy. It’s like angelic stuff, right, just… polarised differently? I mean, I’m not sure there  _ is _ much of a difference… anyway, Demons tend to go with stuff that pushes emotional imbalance. You guys go with calming and obedience encouragement, right?”

“Well, um... I don’t. I’m more… encouraging courage, y’know?”

Glimmer smirked, “Oh yeah, all sparkly free love?” her voice had a teasing lilt to it. Bow wagged a finger at her.

“Fine one to talk about  _ glitter _ .”

“Ouch, touche. Cherub’s got  _ cojones. _ ”

Bow averted his eyes as the  _ movement _ behind the bar increased and he cough, “Well… y’know. Don’t like to brag!”

Glimmer snorted then sipped at her own beer, “Eugh… nope. What else they got… sorry, um… you… carry on down there…” she reached back behind the bar and leaned dangerously over the expanse. Her wings extended and she fluttered like a dragonfly briefly, then grasped a bottle of wine and yanked it back. With a sigh she popped the lid and took a swig, “BETTER!”

Bow grinned, “Atta girl! So, um… she’s just doing this normally? Are you?”

Glimmer shook her head, “Nah… Adora has to  _ actually _ focus to hold it back. Most Fallen and Demons can turn it off, y’know> Like how we can be  _ more _ or  _ less _ mortal. She can’t… part of the curse.”   


Bow frowned, “And… you guys get powered up by negative emotions.”

The pink-haired girl shrugged and adjusted her leather jacket, “Not negative…  _ strong _ emotions.  _ Gut _ emotions. Yeah it veers more towards excessive, bad decisions for SOME. It’s… complicated.”

“So…” Bow had a train of thought, a thread he was following, “So.. Adora goes all scary demoness sometimes?”

“Yep. Kinda… town levelling scary.”

“And demons get  _ more _ powerful with more negative emotions….”

Glimmer swigged the wine again and huffed, “Yeah. I know where you’re going with this. Basically, Adora is a feedback loop,” the petite demon slumped on the bar and glared over the top, “Wow… that… that’s getting  _ very… hoooo _ .”

Bow clicked a finger and thumb in front of her face, “Not the best I’ve seen….”

“Perv….”

“Part of the job. Know my stuff. ANYWAY.”

“Yeah, so, um… basically, Adora makes bad things happen… or just makes humans act more on impulse. The more they do, the more powerful she gets. The more powerful she gets, the more likely she is to go  _ She RARGH. _ That’s what we call it anyway… funny story.”

“OK! Glimmer, FOCUS. Please?”

The demon smirked, “Thought you wanted to have fun.”

“I do. With you.When there isn’t a demon with the power to nuke a city because she got….” he gestured at the room. Glimmer blinked and took it in. She made an “o” with her mouth.

“Wait so… they aren’t arguing… there’s… ohhhhhhh. OHHHHHHH. Yeah. That’s… why we try to let off steam, y’know? So we don’t get  _ that _ far.”

Bow downed his beer, “Yeah… this town might be about to go out with a literal bang….”

His phone buzzed. With a sigh he answered,  _ “ _ Hi Hordak.”

“ _ OH! HELLO! YOU’RE THE HEART MAN AREN’T YOU!” _

Bow held the phone away from him and Glimmer cocked her head, “Is that… Entrapta?”

“ _ AHHH THE PINK GIRL! HELLO! Do you still have my drive? I would like my drive back.” _

The demon shrugged and put the wine bottle down, “‘Fraid not. We released… him… into the wild.”

“ _ Oh dear… WELL! Another case study! So, not everything is lost.” _

“And the reason for the call, Entrapta?” pushed Bow. Glimmer was frowning next to him, staring into the middle distance. Bow raised an eyebrow at her but she was lost in thought. He studied her profile and smiled faintly.

She really was… beautiful.

“ _ Bow? HELLO?” _

“Oh… sorry Entrapta. Got… distracted, say again?” Glimmer flicked a look at him, a frown of faint confusion on her face. Uncertainty. He smiled and, for some reason, she blushed.

“ _ SO… bike being chased by police. Last seen heading to the Freight Zone. AAAAAND if my satellite hack is any good… which it really is… I’m seeing some very strange weather patterns in the woodland area.” _

Bow sighed, “Thanks Entrapta… we’ll… head there,” then he hung up, “Guess we should’ve expected that.”

Glimmer shook her head and her frown was deeper now, “No. No we shouldn’t. It takes… days. Weeks for her to build up. When we’re being  _ careful _ , limiting her exposure. Keeping things… quiet. When you… attacked.”

“Uhhh… you threw the first punch,” Bow interjected. Glimmer rolled her eyes.

“Semantics. So, uhm… yeah… she had that episode a couple of days ago.”   


“The forest?”

“Yeah. Oh, you know about… that…? Huh. Ok. Well… this is  _ too _ fast. WAY too fast. Like, a months worth of emotions and debauchery and… I mean, this bar could do part of it….”

Bow groaned and cradled his face in his hands, “And what about the impulsive decisions of an  _ angel _ ?”

Glimmer opened her mouth, then closed it again. Then raised her eyebrows and nodded, “I mean… maybe? Can… can demons even do that?”

“I have  _ no _ idea. But then I’m not au fait on Demon and Angel romance. But two individuals, basically connected at the  _ soul _ level? Yeah I think that’s… that’s going to be big…”

“Well…” Glimmer huffed, then tilted the entire bottle of wine down her neck. She slammed it onto the counter and looked over it, “I think  _ they _ might have the right idea….”

\--------------------------------------

Catra managed to get them further out of town, further into the woods. Beyond the original site. Adora was woozy and gripped her hard, as if clinging to a lifeline. Her body pulsed with alternating heat and ice. The road beneath them melted, then froze, then melted again, the tarmac warping behind them,

Catra was running on some primal instinct. Primal for a celestial being, of course. And mainly it was saying  _ get Adora to safety _ .

She took a turn and saw a turning off of the main road, which she took. The bike slid, but stayed upright - it seemed to mainly drive itself, with Catra just nudging it along. They rolled and bumped down a dirt track between trees. Old, empty cabins were barely visible in the trees.. Catra turned the bike again and headed for one. AS she approached, she realised she had no idea how to stop the vehicle. So she let go of the throttle and just turned then… flopped.

The bike skidded out from under them. Adora and Catra tumbled over gravel and leaves whilst Swift Wind skidded away with a rumble as the engine stalled. It  _ almost _ sounded like a complaint.

Catra stood and dusted herself off, then looked over at Adora who was face down on the gravel spread eagled, “Hey… you ok?”

A hand raised, thumb up, “ _ Swell. _ ”

Catra couldn’t help the fond smile on her face. She trudged over and bent to flip the girl. She winced as she saw Adora seemed to be  _ sweating _ . Her horns were coming through and her eyes were red completely. Her fangs had split now and she grinned weakly up at Catra, “My body is betraying meeeee,” she wheedled with a chuckle, then groaned in pain.

“Come on you…” Catra helped her up, then led her to the door frame, which she kicked in. The cabin was musty, completely empty, “Ok… what’s going to happen?”

“You… you need to go. I got it under control last time but… but this it’s… it’s  _ too soon _ .”

“Curse, right?” Catra was studying the cabin’s layout and walked around it. She squatted by the door and traced a symbol with her finger. The wood scorched with golden light for a moment. Then she moved to a window and did the same. Adora watched her and huffed.

“Yeah… just… a pain. I dish out all those  _ fun  _ emotions and then get to suck it all up again. The  _ poof _ . Hell spawn.”

“Thought you enjoyed it,” murmured Catra. Adora chuckled again.

“I enjoy it when I’m  _ in control _ . Like this… it’s… autopilot. Feral. Awful. I can’t direct it…” she took a shuddering breath, “...I think this is it.”

The Dominion paused and turned, a frown on her face. Adora knelt in the middle of the floor and swayed gently, “This is… what?”

“The part where… you kill me.”

Catra jolted, “What?”

Adora shrugged, “Had… a feeling it’d go like this. But… I just wanted  _ one _ day.  _ One damn day _ with you… Before you saw this. Before you saw the monster. Before you had to do your duty…” Adora closed her eyes and swallowed, “Y’know… I’m… I’m actually ok with it?”

She was rooted to the spot. Catra felt  _ physically rooted _ , “No…”

“Yeah…. Yeah. It’s ok. I mean, I got to see you again. But it’s been a  _ long _ time, Catra. It  _ feels _ longer. I mean, I’m doing  _ good _ . I really am. And yeah, I wish I’d gotten to stick it to Light Hope. But….” she sniffled and swallowed again, “I’m… glad it’s you. I know you’ll do it right. And stop me… going too far. Before I do.”

Catra moved. She practically fell to her knees in front of Adora, “No… no, I’ve… I’ve warded the place. I can seal it. We can…”

“Trap me here? For how long? I’m  _ strong _ Catra. And this… is going to be a big change. And then… if you do stop me? Do I get to stay here? Do you hand me over?” Adora closed her eyes again and winced, “Just… do me  _ rightly _ as they said. Quick. Clean… or just… get away. Because….”

Catra shivered as Adora brought her hands up to Catra’s chin. Like in the club, she traced the line of Catra’s jaw. Her eyes, blown wide, completely red save for tiny spots of blue, stared into Catra’s. She made to pull her hands away.

But Catra caught them. “Because…?”

Adora’s smile was watery. The cocky demon replaced by the sentimental, kind angel for a bare moment. She giggled, “Why is it so hard to say? Why was it always so  _ hard _ to say?”

“What…?” Catra’s heart was in her throat.

“You call  _ me _ the idiot. I watched you. Stayed with you. But… always so scared. Because I was going to become  _ something _ else. Something  _ far away _ . That I would… never have you. And you… you never saw me that way. You were so  _ passionate _ . About the world. And the mortals. They were your focus... “

Catra shuddered and squeezed Adora’s hands, “They were… but,..”

“I’m not jealous, Catra. It was… what you did. What you loved,” Adora stuttered the last word and Catra clutched her tighter.

“It wasn’t all I loved.”

Adora’s eyes fluttered open and she blinked, “What?”

Catra smiled faintly, “I… I just… You were a constant Adora. Dependable. I went… to pieces, really. Just zeroed in on my  _ duty _ , once you left. And… and maybe I didn’t pay attention. But any day without you felt… emptier. I’m… I’m not a cherub. I’m not  _ good _ with this but….” she closed her eyes, then looked to the heavens and exhaled. She felt light for the knowledge in her heart. She met Adora’s gaze, “You are such an idiot. But… so am I. I  _ love _ you. I always _have_. I... just took it for granted, didn't see it.”

“You… love me?” Adora blinked and the blue seemed to push a bit more into her eyes. Catra shrugged then stuttered as Adora clutched her, “I love you too.”

They stared at one another. Catra smiled and leaned in. Adora stared and suddenly pushed forwards. Their lips met, gently. The taste of cinnamon, summer days, old memories. Time slowed. After an eternity they broke apart. Adora blinked and looked resolute.

“You… need to go. I...I can’t... I _won't_. I don't want to HURT you...”

Catra stared into her eyes, “No.”

“Catra…”

“No. I lost you once. And… never again.  _ Never _ .”   


“I’ll… I’ll I can’t live with myself if… if…”

The Dominion cupped her demon’s face.  _ Her _ demon. Her shadow. Her foil. Her  _ love _ , “No. You won’t,” Her faith was unshakeable. She stared into the eyes of the person she had trusted for centuries. The person who was always  _ always _ there. Who had fought things beyond the bounds of the universe with her. How could she have  _ doubted _ Adora? HOW?

Adora closed her eyes and smiled faintly, “I love you… I  _ love _ you…” she repeated it like a mantra. Her arms snaked around Catra who clung to her. Their lips met again.

Around them, the cabin began to heat. Paintings on the wall lit at the oil ignited. The heart burst into blue fire. Curtains went up like kindling and ice crackled on the surfaces. Catra licked along Adora’s lower lip and felt the demon’s mouth open in response. She probed and felt fangs. Double fangs… She tightened her grip on  _ her _ demon and let Adora pull her up. She swung her legs around the taller girl’s waist and her tail coiled around one leg.

A low rumbled came from Adora’s throat and vibrated into Catra who purred back in response. Her wings fluttered free and wrapped around the pair of them. She felt the sudden push of roiling emotion that was The Beast. It was intoxicating. Primal.  _ Powerful _ .

Her own power met it and she clung to Adora. Her Adora.  _ HERS _ . Not Hell’s. Not Heaven’s.

HERS.

She tried to push that very knowledge, that  _ Truth _ into the world. She wasn’t afraid. If she died now, she would die knowing Adora  _ loved _ her. And that she loved Adora.

Brickwork pressed against her back as Adora kissed her back, their tongues dancing. She felt heat boil around her, felt the ice of Adora’s flesh and the heat of her body. They broke apart and Catra stared into one red eye and one blue.

“ **Miiiiine,”** rumbled The Beast.

Catra smirked, “ _ Mine _ .”

They crashed together again as, around them, the cabin became an inferno of light and flame.

\---------

  
  


Bow and Glimmer popped into the forest in a cloud of sparkling motes. They froze and stared.

“Holy shit,” managed Bow. Glimmer leaned away and stared at him.

“Are…. are you allowed to say that?”

“I mean… it’s  _ appropriate? _ ”

“Oh KAY. Yes, good point.”

The pair stared at the column, a LITERAL column of flame that danced in the middle of the trees. They advanced towards it as the pillar swayed. It was blue, laced with orange, a cylinder of swirling flame. At the centre, the pair could make out the desiccated remains of a cabin, slowly being consumed by intense heat.

Glimmer, holding another bottle of wine in her hand, brought it to her lips, “So… um… are they?”

Bow pursed his lips and looked at his chest, “Uhhh… they’re  _ in _ there,” the heart flashed a few times, “Not sure….”

“So… not fighting. Are they, y’know?”

He shook his head. “Not  _ that _ no… they’re… connecting, I think?”

“Technical term?” smirked Glimmer and Bow shoved her gently without looking at her. She cackled and shoved him back.

“ _ No _ . And as I said.. .they aren’t doing that. I don’t think we want to be in the same state when they do.”   


“And what state would that be?” asked Glimmer innocently.

“Don’t start, missy. I can banter with the best of them.”

“What, a Dominion whose most recent pop culture reference is  _ Machiavelli _ ? That’s your best?”

“Hey now… I know some dope Oscar Wilde too.”

Glimmer stared at him then grinned, “Wow… an angel without a stick up their ass.”

He stared at her, “Wow, a demon  _ with _ a stick up her ass.”

“Shut up."

“Nah… this is fun.”

They looked back at the dancing column. Slowly, so slowly, it receded. Around them, trees blistered bark crackled. One tree exploded as the bark within exploded. There was a flashed and the ground for twenty feet around in a perfect circle froze with a wave of ice. The angel and demon looked away for a moment, blinded by a flash of holy light. They blinked and stepped forward tentatively.

In the middle of the ruined cabin they saw white wings curled protectively around themselves. WIth a flutter then receded and revealed Adora and Catra. The girls knelt on the floor, foreheads pressed together. The Beast, gone.

Both were panting heavily and their hands gripped each other’s upper arms. Slowly, they pulled their heads back and made eye contact. Adora smiled and whispered, “Hi.”

Catra swallowed and smiled a watery smile, “Hi.”

They leaned forwards and kissed again, gently. Bow brought a hand to his face and bit his fist to muffle the  _ squeeeee _ . Glimmer looked away and blushed. With a shared giggle, the Demon and Dominion broke apart, hands sliding down arms to meet and cling to one another. They both looked at the their companions. Catra chuckled then looked back at Adora.

“So. Um… this just got… complicated.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here. We. Are.
> 
> About to switch into the hardcore fun now. In terms of SOLVING the problems.
> 
> I was thinking of having this chapter end a little differently, keep the DENOUEMENT further along in the story, maybe even closer to the end. BUT... BUT the guideline did state they get together THEN we get the whole "tell mom" aspect.
> 
> Also... I really didn't want to do another 2 chapters of constructed yearning / idiocy. This will lead into something a bit more... focused now I think!
> 
> AS EVER - feed me with comments, thoughts and feedback. I like the chapter, feels it flows well. We can always get MORE shenanigans as these two do date night ;)


	18. The calm before

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Uncertainty and doubt are the true foes of faith. But a faith so true cannot be shaken, though the wind might howl and the rages of the world beat against the walls of love.

It was indescribable. This sensation, this awareness, this  _ closeness _ . It was shockingly familiar and also so new. Like realising you had seen the world through a glass pane, watched the raindrops carve their steady path separated only by thin transparency. And now she could  _ feel _ the rain, the cooling touch on her skin, their balmy heat of a stare filled with a longing she now only belatedly  _ understood _ .

Part of her mourned the lost years,  _ centuries _ . The other part of her wept for finally realising.

Blue eyes stared into her own amber and blue set and she managed a shuddered breath. Adora leaned forwards and pushed her forehead against Catra’s, then leaned in and nuzzled her nose. The blonde demon giggled and draped muscular arms across Catra’s shoulders.

“Mine.”

Catra smiled and felt something warm bloom in her chest. Adora’s head tilted to one side and she sighed.

“Ugh, great. She’s gone,” that was the annoying Sparkly one, wasn’t it? Catra looked over and frowned.

“Excuse me?” 

The Sparkly one gave a shrug, “She gets really loopy after an  _ episode _ . Human equivalent would be the point  _ right _ before the hangover, y’know? Cloud-effing nine then WHAM she is going to be  _ no fun _ for a few hours.”

Bow, who still looked absolutely star struck by the cuddling pair, composed himself briefly, “Uhhh… why?”

“Because she gets all  _ guilty _ and  _ angsty _ . And then tends to go wreck shit to get it out of her system. She says she doesn’t remember… Why we…”   


“Glimmer,” Adora’s voice was sing-song, sickly sweet. Her head tilted back and her hair cascaded down over one shoulder, “Shut. Up.”

The pink girl blinked and her jaw dropped, “Uhhhm, excuse…”

“I said, be  _ quiet _ . If you wouldn’t mind,” Adora closed her eyes and exhaled through her nose. Her hand came up and cupped Catra’s face, “I may be loopy, about to crash but… let me enjoy this. And you…  _ you _ my love.”

Catra reached up and held the hand to her face. She stared back into Adora’s eyes, her gaze torn from Glimmer by the gentleness of Adora’s tone. She searched that steel-blue stare for a moment then huffed, “Yes?”

“I never forget. And I  _ will _ never forget. But this,.... This is  _ me _ … and…”

Catra’s eyes tightened, “Then we  _ fix _ it.”

The other three all blinked. Adora chuckled, “Fix  _ what _ ?”

“The curse.”   


“The demon thing you mean…” murmured Adora, her tone faintly defensive, “Because that’s what you mean.”

Catra brought her hand up and stroked Adora’s jaw, “Do you not want to be one of the Host again?”

Adora’s gaze was hard as it fixed on Catra, but she paused. Catra’s face was genuinely curious; not demanding, and the demon paused on a sharp rebuke, “W...what?”

“Let me ask you this; do you  _ enjoy _ being a demon?” The blonde searched Catra’s face and the feline angel rolled her eyes, “Let’s try again, what do  _ you _ want Adora?”

Glimmer glanced at Bow and mouthed a  _ What? _ He shrugged and tapped his chest heart, which was like a miniature sun with the intensity of the glow it was putting out. Catra stared into Adora’s eyes as the demon girl glanced at the other pair, then back at her. Adora swayed faintly and sucked a breath.

“Sorry, just… yeah Glimmer’s right, it takes it… out of me. But! BUT… I don’t  _ forget _ . Always remember. Always. The bad,” she pressed forwards again and her lips ghosted Catra’s, “The good.”

Bow winced and rubbed the back of his neck, “Wow… she… she’s putting a  _ lot _ of energy out. Still.. Hooo…” he swallowed and glanced at Glimmer who was now faintly flushed. She nodded vigorously.

“Yeah normally it… it gets mostly blasted out. But um, yeah, um  _ ahem _ she’s, wow… still got reserves. But… but  _ how _ ?”

Catra glanced sideways and smiled, “I’ve got the touch, clearly. And Adora…. Adora?”   


“Hmmm, comfy,” groaned the demon. She startled and blinked. Horns formed for a moment, translucent, then faded. Her breath was a puff of steam, “ _ Want _ ,” she managed to get out and leaned forwards. Catra held her steady.

“Adora,” her voice was achingly tender and it drew those blue eyes immediately, “What do you  _ want _ . Not  _ now _ … but for  _ yourself _ .”

“ _ Thisssss _ ,” groaned the demon. She leaned back and groaned. Her vast, black wings unfurled, “So  _ free _ . Unshackled… but… don’t want to be… uncontrolled,  _ rampant. _ ” she winced again and Catra pulled her face close and pushed their foreheads together.

“You want to… stay a demon?”

“You want to put a label on it?” chuckled Adora, she blinked slowly, “Two sides of a coin, right? Used to be… but yeah... yeah this is _me,_ ” she opened her mouth to huff another breath and stared at Catra, “That’s… that’s a problem, right?”

Catra couldn’t help but smile at the clearly  _ layered _ query. The words were so simple, so innocent, but there were  _ epochs _ of tension beneath them. Demons. Angels. Never shall they meet and all that. She inhaled and studied  _ her _ demon as she gave the question due consideration. Which lasted all of two seconds, because, when she  _ really _ thought about it, put it against her own core values, her own beliefs, her own views, the answer was actually shockingly simple, “I’m an angel. Is  _ that _ a problem?”

Adora _giggled_ , actually giggled, “MY Angel. Always my angel. Just never… never said.,” Adora’s voice was thick. She closed her eyes and drew a breath for her nose, “I… like being…  _ free _ . No expectations. Only, I’m still beholden to  _ something _ ….”

“The curse.”   


“The fucking curse. I can’t control this  _ power _ . Can’t use it… reliably.”

“Then we fix  _ that _ .”

Adora’s eyes flickered and she smiled sardonically, still a little guarded, “What, not going to cuff me, officer? Haul me to the big house, put me on cold turkey?”

Catra’s face shifted to an unamused grimace, “Really, jokes? Again, not really sure what you said there.”

“She’s asking whether you aren’t just going to drag her to heaven and then just… make her an angel again,” supplied Glimmer, who was now hopping from foot to foot. She kept shooting glances at Bow, who seemed a little less  _ impacted. _ Catra snorted and looked at the pink demon.

“I think I parsed the meaning, but  _ thank you _ . Now, I advise you two get out of here before  _ this _ starts to really… mess with you.”

Bow’s arm shot out and gripped Glimmer. He hauled her backwards, “Ok, well, we’ll wait at the bike and seeyouinamomentbye!”

Catra smirked as the glittery demon was hauled away, her protests remarkably halfhearted. She also noticed how Glimmer gripped at Bow’s shoulder whilst being dragged away.

“Huh. Well now, wondered if that’d go anywhere,” chuckled Adora. She looked back at Catra, “I’m… gimme a moment, this… she wasn’t wrong I get a bit, yeah,  _ woozy _ .”

“Need to punch something? Get it out?” smirked Catra. Adora looked at her and matched the expression.

“No. But I think I do need to let off a little more steam.”

Catra squeaked as Adora pounced and pinned her to the floor. Their mouths met and the Dominion  _ moaned _ against the demon’s amorous assault. Her fingers threaded into the blonde’s hair and Adora’s hands traced Catra’s jaw. They broke apart after what felt an eternity. The demon smiled down at the angel and sighed, her eyes wide with wonder.

“This is real.”

Catra nodded rapidly, “Yes.”   


“And… what next?”

“Well, are you convinced I’m  _ not _ going to kill you?”

Adora arched an eyebrow, “I think I need some more evidence.”

“You are an idiot,” huffed Catra, then yanked the blonde down again. Nearby, several animals decided that this was the perfect time to consider out of season mating. A couple of flowers  _ bloomed _ despite it being the middle of the night. The smoldering embers of the cabin nearby relit.

Catra broke the kiss again and glanced about, “Hmmm…” she met Adora’s gaze and smirked, “All the girls get this treatment?”

Adora rolled her eyes, then paused. She searched Catra’s gaze then ran the back of her knuckles along Catra’s jaw, “ _ Hardly. _ And you, my love, were the one who went gallivanting around the Mediterranean.”

They stared at each other and Catra closed her eyes. Her hands slipped from Adora’s hair and she clutched the other woman’s shoulders, then pulled her down into a hug, “Fuck Adora… I was… such an  _ idiot _ . I… why didn’t I see?”

The demon ran her hands through Catra’s hair and sighed, “Maybe you did and… you didn’t comprehend?”

Catra swallowed thickly, “It took  _ losing you _ . It took… it…”

Adora pulled back and cocked her head, her hair a curtain around them, her wings now a larger shelter, “But we’re here. We lived and learned," her tone was sad, but more lucid now. She continued, a little brighter, her voice soft, "And, for better or worse, we  _ know _ . It takes… the risk of loss to appreciate things. And, to be fair, I wasn’t exactly  _ forthcoming _ was I?” her chuckle made Catra sigh contentedly, but she still had a knot of guilt in her breast as Adora went on, “And… yeah. It hurts. It hurt back then and seeing you again was the best and… most terrifying thing.”

The blonde settled back onto her feet in a squat and Catra sat up. She sighed, “Killed the mood, didn’t I?”

Adora gave a single shoulder shrug and smiled, “Honestly, I think I’m twenty minutes from burnout. So if you  _ do  _ want to kill-”

It was Catra’s turn to lurch forwards. She gripped Adora’s face, “Don’t. Say. That. I will  _ destroy _ anyone who touches you.”

Adora looked taken aback and blinked. She frowned, “No. You can’t  _ fall _ for me Catra. Not… not like that.”

“I will choose my destiny, thank you very much, you insufferable Athenean. I wasted -  _ wasted - _ centuries. So, don’t, please  _ don’t _ stop me from  _ wanting _ you.”

The demon smiled and clasped Catra’s hands, her voice a whisper, “I don’t think I could if I even tried. Or wanted to. But,” she winced again, “What next?”

“You keep  _ saying that.  _ We fix  _ this _ . But first… we need to… stop Heaven hunting you.”

Adora’s expression became clouded, “How do you know this isn’t my grand plan? Seduce you, turn you from the Light, make sure I can…”

“Because if it  _ is _ Adora, then I will straight up  _ eviscerate you _ . And then Shadow Weaver. And probably quite a few things... BUT… this is  _ you _ . I know  _ you _ . To my core.”   
  
The demon looked panicky for a moment, “The curse, it could… it could be…”

Catra watched her for a moment then pulled her into a hug, “Then it’s a good job we’re going to fix it so you can  _ think _ . Because I would like to know if… if you actually do…”

Adora hissed and clung to Catra, “I do. I know. I always have. Always will. Not… not gonna forget it. Not gonna ruin it. Just... so many _doubts_. I.. I doubt _myself_.”

Catra's heart ached - Adora, the one person so sure, so confident of the _justice_ of the world,now full of doubt? No wonder she reacted so strongly; no wonder the demonic pull gave her something to focus on - if her own _self_ was so dented. A dent Catra resolved to repair, a vow she made to herself. They held tight to one another for a few moments longer, then broke apart. The pair stayed close, though, hands on each other’s arms. Adora drew a deep breath and Catra smiled at her, “Good. Because… I don’t think I’m going to be happy if you vanish on me again. And IF there’s some dark curse here beyond your… episodes, well, then I will just  _ obliterate _ the person responsible for… yeah, well, this.”

Adora closed her eyes, then made a noise of surprise. Then she smiled, “I saw the cherub’s chest.”

Catra’s eyes narrowed, “Bow? And?”

“You know much about those stones?”

“Just that they.. Indicate a match, or lust or…”

“You really need to research outside your own Chorus, Catra. No, the stones are… lodestones, star-stuff. They are drawn to  _ bonds _ . Emotional, not just physical. They can’t be fooled by magic or wards or anything of the sort,” she laughed and shook her head, her face a sudden expanse of joy, “This… is  _ real _ .”

Catra studied her and felt a weight lift from her chest she hadn’t even realised had settled; Adora’s words, her fears had speared subtly into her. But that was the horror of some demon-tools was it not? The subtlety? The doubt? “Well… that’s a relief…” she managed.

Adora gave another shrug, “You live a lifetime without faith, without trust… you doubt so much. My only certainty… was how I knew I felt. And how I’d failed to act on it, before it was too late. But still, that can become  _ doubt _ . You second guess, all the time, even your oldest thoughts. You layer it and layer it and convince yourself it was a passing fancy to keep your heart held  _ tight _ . Because if those you trusted turn on you so easily, then how can I believe my _own_ thoughts, my own feelings... But… you have faith in  _ me _ ? Even now?”

The Dominion nodded, without hesitation, “You’re Adora. Of course.”

“But…” Adora was clearly still feeling the impact of the curse's pull, the draining effect of the power surge, her eyes wide and unsure. This curse really did a number of her, Catra realised - all that power, but in such a way as to leave her a drained  _ wreck _ afterwards? The sort of vulnerability that could be capitalised on in the right circumstances. It was  _ suspiciously specific _ . She pushed the thought aside for later, to focus on her real priority.

“Hey,  _ hey _ . Ok, I was surprised. I was confused. I was… scared. But I will always,  _ always _ trust you. And I can’t believe this is  _ wrong _ , Adora. I can’t. So, I won’t. Because this just feels... meant to _be_.”

Adora smiled and exhaled, “Good. Because anyone tries to wreck this I will  _ end _ them. I can’t promise no collateral damage if I do.”

Catra shrugged, “What’s a Gomorrah between friends?”

That got a laugh, “Alright, oh Angel of Vengeance and your big displays… so,” she managed to stand and pulled Catra up with her, “Back to town?”

“Back to town. Then we… wait,” Catra blinked, “Vengeance…”

The demon frowned, “What about it? Don’t say you’re about to get on board with my methods.”

“No… but, I do have an  _ idea _ .”

Catra turned and pulled Adora after her. The demon followed, a slightly dreamy smile on her dazed face. They found their companions near the abandoned motorbike, studiously sat a good ten feet apart and backs to one another. They pointedly ignored the Dominion and Demon. Catra just smirked and gestured to the bike. Adora nodded and clambered on, with Catra mounting behind her. She wrapped her arms unashamedly around  _ her _ demon, then looked at the other two celestial beings.

Bow looked between them and smiled, “Well, yes. This isn’t going to be weird or awkward  _ at all _ . But… I am so happy for you Catra. Seriously.”

Adora glanced at him and then smiled, “I like this one. Glim, you could learn a thing about  _ manners _ from him!”

The pink haired demon growled and crossed her arms, which did interesting things to her form and her leather jacket. Bow somehow managed to flush without even looking her way. Adora’s grin widened and Catra snorted.

“We’re heading back… to the office. We’ll see you back there. I have an idea,” supplied the Dominion.

“I can just, y’know,  _ teleport _ us,” grumbled Glimmer. Adora laughed.

“Yeah, but… I still want some alone time. And, hey, for once you don’t have to babysit, so that frees you up, y’know. Live a little Glim. Though that bottle says… maybe you are?”

With a laugh, the bike roared to life and the Angel and Demon sped away into the night. Glimmer looked down at her nearly empty wine bottle, then after the departing pair, then over at Bow. She took a deep breath.

“So.”

“So."

She dropped the bottle and the pair slammed into each other, lips locking. She hopped up and wrapped her legs around his waist and they stumbled against a tree. She growled against his mouth, “Know-it-all-angel.”

He chuckled back, “Vixen temptress.”

They broke apart and she stared at him, “This is, just, like, the whole… excess Demon Prince energy stuff, you know… right?”

He stared back, “Is it?”

“Isn’t it?”

“I don’t know!”

“You’re the love-obsessed Angel!”

“Love specialist!”

They stared at each other and Glimmer suddenly grinned, then leaned back and laughed. It descended to a giggle and she curled up against the cherub and nestled her head into his shoulder. They stood like that for a moment until he whispered, “Would you like me to... let you stand?”

She squeezed his shoulders, “Not… not just yet.”

The moon was high, the forest a gentle rustle of wind and life. And the cherub held the demon tight, his voice a gentle whisper into her hair as his hands made gentle circles on her back. Not lust in that glade.

_ Love _ .

Should one have the courage to name it.

\--------------------

Mermista spun as the elevator dinged open. Her hair was now a curled mess and her eyes were wide; if she were a mortal, one could almost suggest she looked  _ frazzled _ . Lonnie jolted awake from near the summoning circle and stood rapidly. Around the room the various magi tensed as the  _ presence _ drew closer - the wave oif unleashed energy an hour prior had set fire to a scrying table, and everyone had been on edge since. They stared as one as the figures stepped out of the elevator. But it was Frosta who spoke first.

“BRUNHILDE!”

Adora rolled her shoulders as she walked onto the office floor, her eyes tired and her whole demeanour wary. But her expression softened as she saw the Dverge, “Frosta! Oh my goodness! It’s been  _ how _ long?”

Catra stepped to one side and smiled as Adora opened her arms. The diminutive Angel-in-blue practically sprinted to the demon and near-tackled her. Mermista leaned her head back and groaned.

“Like, is this how we tackle the  _ enemy _ now? UGH! Hug them to…”

Adora let Frosta down and smirked at Mermista, “Triton.”

Mermista eyed Adora then looked at Catra, then back again, “Athena.”

Frosta looked between them and made an embarrassed face, “Uh, yeah, um…” Adora chuckled and held up a fist, which Frosta bashfully bumped with her own. Catra saw this as a good a time as any to intervene.

“Mermista… we need to discuss… moving forward.”

“Uh huh? Which is why you brought the scary-powerful daughter of god who is now a  _ demon _ to our headquarters because…. What, she corrupted you?”

Adora’s face became a pursed frown and she looked at Catra, “Is that what we’re calling it?”

“That’s  _ not _ what we’re calling it,” deadpanned Catra.

“You sure. I mean… I’m pretty sure I corrupted you. With my amazing dance moves.”

“Those were… yes they were very good.”

“Also, I took you to dinner.”

“You set fire to the bar.”

“Happy accident! Also, drinks AND a cabin retreat.”   


“Those aren’t usually all in the same night… if the stuff on the tiny screen boxes are any indicator.”

The other occupants of the room watched the exchange in much the same way one would watch a tennis volley. Adora made an exaggerated gesture to dismiss Catra’s concerns, then strode forwards and draped her arms across the shorter Dominions shoulders.

“Fine, if you want TV romance. Big damn kiss!” and she drew Catra in for one that made several people in the room adjust their collars and look away. Mermista gawped. Seahawk jolted awake then fell out of his chair. Frosta stared, then punched the air. Lonnie faceplamed.

The Dominion and Demon pulled apart and Adora shot the room a glare, “Mine,” then she looked back at Catra, “You mind if I just, like, fall over here? I’m…”

Catra slid her hands from Adora’s waist and gripped her arms, “You’re safe here. We can head back to yours once we’ve… hashed this out.”

“Cool, cool.” Adora swayed faintly, then pecked Catra on the lips. She disentangled herself, then slumped onto a nearby cot-bed, where she seemed to just pass out. Catra smiled at her fondly, then turned back to the room.

Mermista’s eyes were like saucers. She pointed at Catra, then at Adora, then back at Catra. Her mouth worked and she then flung her arms wide and made a noise that was just an  _ UGH _ at full volume.

“Something to say, Mermista?”

“Some… SOMETHING? That’s a pretty BIG thing, right there! You’re… you’re COMPROMISED!” The Archangel ran her hands through her hair and hunched, “We are all so dead. We’re fallen by association. You’re doomed. I’m doomed. Like, so totally doomed. To the pit, past Shadow Weaver, like don’t even THINK of collecting $200.”

Lonnie approached and stood next to Mermista, “Gonna have to go with boss lady on this… this seems  _ really _ sudden. And, y’know… a terrible idea.”

Catra folded her eyes and tilted her head, “I see your points and would like to offer a counter view - I don’t  _ care _ . Or rather… my perspective gives me insight that overrules your views.”

“You sure that ain’t  _ bias _ ?” scoffed Lonnie. Catra looked at her and pursed her lips.

“I get where you all are coming from… but - and I can’t believe  _ I _ am saying this - the demons aren’t the bad guys. They’re…  _ she _ isn’t evil.”

Mermista flung her arms into the air and turned away, “You’re risking a Fall, an ARMAGEDDON, over a  _ crush _ ?”

“No, I’m risking that over a chance to find out the TRUTH. And, seeing as she is the  _ daughter of god _ as you keep reminding everyone… maybe it’d be a good idea to do that before we level a city on a fight which would be messy. As we discussed  _ previously _ .”   


Lonnie frowned, “She’d put that much of a fight up against you?”

Catra narrowed her eyes, “No.  _ We’d _ put that much of a fight up against  _ everyone _ .”

The silence that hit the room was a noise in itself. Mermista froze and cringed slightly. Frosta blinked, then let out a low whistle. Lonnie looked shocked. The Archangel found her voice first, “You’d fight  _ Heaven _ …”

“I’d fight  _ everyone _ . She is mine. I am hers. It took me long enough to get here and  _ no power _ will take her away from me again. Nor me from her.”

Lonnie eyed Catra carefully, “That’s… a hell of a shift from just going out to dinner and being cautious. What, seven hours ago?”

A sudden shimmer of glittering dust and the displacement of air announced the arrival of the  _ other _ couple. And they certainly looked the part. Glimmer was on Bow’s back and they were both grinning. They took in the room and Bow arched an eyebrow, “Bad time?”

Mermista took them in and made a small shrieking noise, “I was going to ask you to talk  _ sense _ into  _ her _ but you’ve been… corrupted too!”

Bow snorted, “Corrupted? Nope,” he tapped the gem in his chest, then gestured at Catra, “Can’t ask me to get in the way of that.”

The Archangel paused, then stared at his chest, then back up at him, “Um… does… does that mean?”

“Yep. True. Honest.  _ Pure _ .”

That sent Mermista into a melancholic slump. She sagged into a vacant office chair, “Huh.”

Lonnie looked nervous, “So, what, you cupid-bow’d them? How’d that happen? What does that  _ mean _ ?”

Bow shook his head, “Nothing like that… just… hey, Glim, mind if you hop off for… thanks… anyway, yeah, so… I  _ know _ love. Like  _ know _ it in my very being. I can tell if it’s wrong, or forced or manipulated. And this thing… yeah, what they’ve got…”

“No one may put asunder,” finished Catra with finality, “And anyway, it’s besides the point. We have larger whales to broil.”

Even Lonnie smirked, “Frosta’s right, you do that on purpose…. Is this about that whole… conspiracy?”

“Yeah. Look, Demons  _ don’t _ suddenly manifest in Heaven. The daughter of  _ god _ doesn’t just vanish. The Seraphs have been cagey and avoiding everything and now Light Hope just… takes over? Mara’s only scion was forcibly made Fallen. I know I’m… a hard person with rules, but I am not about the method without the  _ motive _ . I won’t do things if they are  _ wrong _ morally. Just because process or procedure dictates.”

Lonnie gestured at Adora’s prone form, “But that town…”

“Was… a bad case. But also, weirdly… it was a warped sense of  _ justice _ . You’ve said yourself, we’re not exactly kind creatures. And we knew what was going on was  _ bad _ . How would  _ we _ have acted if we’d found it in a similar situation?”

The Seer folded her arms and heaved a sighed, but nodded grudgingly, “This is all kinds of  _ weird _ .”

Mermista shrugged, “So, what, we’re just going to host every demon that turns out, rather than, I don’t know  _ dealing with them?” _

“So you’d rather send her back to Shadow Weaver, even more convinced that Heaven is out to get her?” offered Catra, “Because giving the Enemy that sort of weapon seems a trifle foolish.”

“She’s already WITH Shadow Weaver!” cried Mermista.

“That bitch can go suck my….” Adora groaned from the camp cot, “Sorry… sorry, how  _ rude _ … sleeping now…” she seemed to sag a little more. Then she started snoring.

Catra shrugged, “She  _ met _ Shadow Weaver, but… I think it’s not a cordial relationship. They have history after all.”

Mermista shrugged, “Whatever, I mean I could report this, could just, like, get a Century down here and….”

“And have them pretty much turn this town and half the State to a volcanic mess. We’ve been  _ over _ this. But I think it’s more pressing that we work out if there  _ is _ a problem back home. And we can do that AND reduce the demonic activity here, to a level we can manage.”

Lonnie and Mermista exchanged a glance, then the Archangel leaned forwards, “Oh-kay… that seems… at least not a totally stupid plan. Maybe even bordering on vaguely sensible in, like, having a goal or whatever.”

“Exactly! Demons that rampage, destroy, cause chaos… yes, those need to be corralled, dealt with. But… perhaps we have made the mistake of looking at everything with the perspective of a  _ hammer _ .”

Mermista exchanged a glance with Lonnie, “Um, wow, an appropriate metaphor. You doing ok?”

Catra waved at her irritably, “Hush, my  _ point _ …. Is that  _ you _ have a point. You know the context of things here, how just rushing in and causing devastation doesn’t  _ solve _ issues.”

“Huh you’re, like, taking my advice?” Mermista stared at her.

“You’re taking her advice?” Lonnie deadpanned.

“Yes. And yours, Lonnie. It’s why I am surprised you’re all so eager to just… murder her.”

The two women looked away and Lonnie chewed her lip. She gestured vaguely at Adora’s probe form, “I mean… when it’s a  _ demon _ that you think is all fire and brimstone and… y’know? Yeah, it’s easy to just want to exorcise it. But when one’s…  _ snoring _ . And looks... tired? Yeah, that's harder to work through. Um, actually… why is she asleep?”

Catra shrugged and looked fondly over at Adora, “The curse. It’s been bothering me. Because why curse someone to become stupidly, ridiculously powerful? And then have them suddenly…” she gestured at the sleeping demon, “...it smacks of a setup. Which is  _ why _ we can’t just  _ end _ her, aside from the myriad other reasons.”

Glimmer glared across the room, “Anyone tries it, I’ll teleport them to the earth’s  _ core _ .”

Catra smiled over at the demon, “Thank you…  _ Glimmer. _ Of course, that will be after I remove their arms.”

“Ok, super protective girlfriend rage is received and understood,” drawled Lonnie. She tilted her head at Adora then looked back at Catra, “Yeah… that… sounds almost like a suicide bomb. Or… or rather, ugh. We have fanatics down here, they stick bombs on other people, make them walk into public places then blow them up remotely? It’s… like that.”

The Dominion stared at her, horrified, “What? I mean… beserkers or heroic last stands but…  _ what _ ?”

Lonnie pursed her lips and scowled, “In Mara’s name, no less.”

Catra blanched, then looked at Mermista, “And this is  _ permitted?” _

The Archangel shook her head, a sudden flash of anger on her face, “We’ve TRIED to stop it. But… it’s like, total whack-a-mole. Short of a freakin’ planet wide manifestation of  _ Mara herself _ we have so many psycho whack jobs who do crazy crap. AND the ones doing the bomb stuff… they don’t  _ believe _ . It’s not even  _ demons _ making them do it.”

“This planet is… a  _ mess _ ,” sighed Catra. Mermista nodded sadly.

“We do what we can.”

“So, this abominable... act appears to be the plan for Adora… or maybe it  _ was _ . Setup to go demon, then after the rage passed, she’d be easy prey to be killed and  _ removed _ . But  _ why _ ?” Catra ran a hand through her hair.

“Or maybe she was supposed to hit earth? Go postal here, cause a ruckus then… get killed?”

Catra nodded slowly, then looked at her sleeping soulmate, “But they miscalculated.”

Lonnie looked at her, searchingly “Oh?”

“They tried it on  _ Adora _ . Good luck forcing her to do _anything_. That smacks of arrogance. Of pride. But we still must fathom the  _ why _ to better understand  _ who _ . Light Hope is stuffy and protocol driven - she could be a mere stooge in this. Blind to her inadvertent actions. And could a demon reach that far into heaven?”

Frosta scowled, “Or an angel who isn’t  _ fallen _ but maybe agrees with demon ideals? Or… maybe just knows some demonic curses?”

Catra huffed and folded her arms, “We are talking in circles, but… I am glad you understand the why. We need to minimise collateral damage; we need to ensure whatever is planned for Adora does  _ not _ come to pass; I get the impression it is… unpleasant for people beyond her. Probably for everyone. Light Hope mentioned the Armageddon contingencies, after all. First, we need to remove Heaven’s scrutiny on this. That frees up Adora, me and the rest of us to look at things without having to be so cautious. We can  _ manage _ the demons, keep them from acting out and also flagging to Shadow Weaver and her minions of our co-operation.  _ And _ it means that whoever planned this may let their guard down and won’t expect an investigation.”

Glimmer looked over, “You’re gonna  _ manage _ us, huh?”

“No burning town the town, that sort of thing. Unless we need it. And… we  _ might _ need it. Think you can manage it?” Catra shot back. Glimmer rolled her eyes.

“Wasn’t me who caused a fire tornado because she got  _ excited _ .”

Catra blinked, then flushed. Mermista relaxed and then  _ grinned _ wickedly. The Seer smiled, but changed topic, “Well, just so happens, I got my boys working on the investigation piece right now. On the down low, of course.”   


“Your… boys?” Catra managed to keep her face straight. Bow, however, did not. Lonnie shrugged and looked away as the Cherub beamed at her.

“Kyle and Rogelio. Had them do some digging on the research that Light Hope had Adora doing. The Archives seem to know… but it’s a bit tangled. I tell you, that Kyle he’s got a gift.”

Catra blinked and shook her head, “Good thinking,” Her face moved into a gentle smile, “And… he does, doesn’t he?”

“Well, y’know. We were bored while you were out setting fire to stuff. And  _ that’ _ s another reason why we’re not convinced, y’know,” Lonnie’s mouth was set in a thin line, despite her blush at Catra’s prior comment. Catra nodded slowly and held up a hand.

“And I can understand. But… to be honest, she was holding it together. The biggest risk is from her rages… and  _ those _ are connected to the curse. And Adora has told me they’re getting  _ worse _ . Longer. More powerful. Easier for them to build from even  _ minor _ stimuli. Whether it’s the world being that much more volatile or her curse…”

“All the more reason to banish her at least?” murmured Mermista, but there wasn't any real conviction in her voice. Catra shook her head.

“Like I said, we send her back down there, she’ll just come back more annoyed and likely more unstable, plus more likely to side with Shadow Weaver. No, we need to find a way to  _ break _ the curse. Because, if this IS a demonic plan, to  _ turn _ angels with naught more than a curse, and it affected  _ her _ , how simple would it be for that curse to be repeated against the whole Host? So, just eliminating a singular demon doesn’t solve the root  _ cause _ . We need a cure, to understand the nature of the enchantment. And part of that is finding out what caused it… and…”

_ “You wish to track down the Archangel known as Micah, do you not?” _ Hordak’s voice came over a laptop speaker nearby. Catra flinched in surprise.

“How did you guess that?” she managed.

_ “Because a diminutive version of my own intellect has been asking me for the past two hours whether I have seen someone matching his description and it is getting ANNOYING.” _

Glimmer chuckled from across the room. She had somehow found a coffee and was now leaning against a table next to Bow. Rather close, in fact, “Yeah, he gets a bit much. But can’t fault the enthusiasm, y’know? But, yeah, that’s what  _ WE’VE _ been  _ TRYING _ to do.”

_ “Oh. Wonderful. You are back. How will I ever contain my joy _ ,” sneered Hordak’s voice over the speaker,  _ “This… Little Brother is insufferable. It refuses to be re-integrated into my folders.” _

Lonnie rolled her eyes, “Life finds a way, I guess. Even if it is weird, spam-bot level life.”

“Alright, beside the point… can we find Micah?” Catra barrelled into the conversation before anyone else could go off on a tangent. Glimmer huffed and looked away.

“Fifty years, nothing. Not a damn trace,” she mumbled. Bow nudged her shoulder gently and the demon seemed to relax faintly. Hordak interjected once more

_ “Currently… no. I am forced to agree with the annoying demoness. However, the circumstance of this Archangel’s absence is bizarre. I do have historical sightings, some photographs. But nothing recent. Either your Archangel is remote or… not on the planet.” _

“You can be so sure?” Glimmer had looked up with a frown at the mention of photographs.

“ _ With modern surveillance technology, I can ascertain that he is not in any public areas of major metropoli across the globe.” _

“And wherever you have no coverage?”

_ “That is… a grey area, I acknowledge.” _

“Well… we’ll tackle that down the line,“ mused Catra, “First, we do need breathing space. And I know just how to get it.”

Mermista snorted, “Oh do tell. We're working with a fragment of an eldritch horror, a Dominion, an insane mortal inventor and now a Demon Prince! Let's hear your oh so grand plan.”

“Simple. We kill my girlfriend,” grinned Catra.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a transition chapter, with some fluff and some fears and some laying of ground work. Next chapter will have a bit more momentum, but needed to air the EMOTIONS. A bit more cute next chapter as well. And then some investigation and some DRAMA.
> 
> We're about to move to the BIG LEAGUES here kids. Hope you enjoy!
> 
> As ever, please comment and let me know! ALSO I have holiday next week, which should give me more time for writing, so I am going to aim for maybe another G&F chapter this weekend, then another one next week!
> 
> THANK YOU FOR READING! And go check out some of the art on Twitter under #celestialAU !


	19. A quiet moment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some thoughts on their next steps.
> 
> Catra and Adora share a moment and put a chance encounter to bed.

The plan, such as it was, was stupidly simple. So much so that Lonnie just blinked and said, “Seriously?”

Catra folded her arms and leaned back against a folding table. Her shrug was slightly tense, “In theory, yes. Seriously.”   


“In theory,” grumbled Mermista, “Yah. Because it hinges on the assumption Light Hope isn’t as freakishly paranoid as we are worst case spitballing.”

Bow paced slightly and grimaced, “That is a risk. I mean, I get Heaven hasn’t exactly got  _ real time _ understanding of  _ everything _ going on, but…”   


Lonnie held up her hand, “Hold up. Hold the fuck up. So how y’all do that judging shit and deciding who goes where?”

Catra winced, “It’s… what’s the word for things happening by themselves?”

_ “AUTOMATIC!”  _ came Emily’s voice over the laptop speakers. Followed shortly by Hordak’s more measured,  _ “Automation. The celestial planes are, in themselves, sapient. There is an objective awareness of a soul’s inherent value and leanings. Thus it tends to merely traverse to where it has a natural leaning.” _

Catra gestured at the laptop with a  _ See, Simple _ , arch of her eyebrows. Lonnie rolled her eyes, “So, what, determinism in action? What are all y’all for then?”

“No, of course not. A soul makes choices during its existence on this plane and then, at the point of transition… it heads towards the place it has a natural fit for. Be that a hell-aligned plane, or a heavenly one. We… help steer them either way. What, you thought everyone had an angel on their shoulder?”

Lonnie looked disappointed, “Well... kinda?”

Catra’s gaze softened, “It’s...a shock, I know, to realise we are all, perhaps fallible beings. If we were not, there would be no Shadow Weaver. I would not need to be here solving… or trying to work  _ through _ all this. If we had complete observation of the planet, of every being at all times? Well, these two would’ve been turned to ash faster than a particularly fast thing.”   


“You really are crap at metaphors, huh?” Lonnie smirked.

“She’s useless,” came Adora’s muffled voice from across the room. Catra stuck two fingers up at her without looking, “Love you too babe,” was the Demon’s response, which made Catra’s smile broaden slightly.

Mermista still looked uncomfortable, “This… involves creating a ruckus then you two, what? Throwing down? That’s gonna cause some serious issues.”

“Not if we  _ manage _ it. And come on, Mermista… we’ve managed battles before. Entire  _ wars _ .”

“Yeah. With spears and dudes on wooden boats. Now we’ve got gas mains, firearms,  _ cars filled with flammable material - sit down Sea Hawk _ ,” Mermista’s paramour slumped back in his chair and muttered, “And, like, I’m… I’m not comfortable with this, Catra.”

The Dominion nodded, “I know. And that’s why you and Lonnie are not going to be  _ involved _ except as observers. Help set it up, then Bow and I will assume full responsibility for these two. You are then  _ disavowed _ from involvement,” she looked at Frosta, “Though I doubt I could keep  _ you _ away…”

“Hell no. You need someone to make this look  _ good _ , right?”

Mermista stared at the floor, then huffed, “Whatever, not like Heaven’s been exactly  _ supportive _ recently. Or, like,  _ ever _ . And I guess… I guess it would help if, we y’know… like, actually talked to the psychotic demonic invaders who… aren’t actually trying to actively, like, kill anything right now.”   


Glimmer, who was currently stood by herself, foot tapping away and her arms crossed tightly across her chest, snorted, “Why would we  _ want _ to?”

Mermista looked baffled for a moment, “Uh,  _ demon _ ?”

“Uh  _ ANGEL _ ,” Glimmer gestured back at Mermista, “My  _ mom _ is an Angel and  _ she _ tossed me out like last week’s takeout. If anything, we should be shit scared of  _ you _ . You came after  _ us _ .”   


Mermista frowned, “Because  _ you _ were causing chaos.”

“As IF! Have you  _ seen _ the humans! Of course you have. Your boy toy is a  _ celebrity _ . In the loosest sense. They’re  _ manic _ . We barely  _ try _ . Adora barely tries. And what are  _ you _ doing? Would you even  _ notice _ if Hell popped up? I mean, it took you HOW long to notice  _ us _ .”

Catra watched as the pair sniped, then leaned in, “ _ Enough _ . Sparkles, you raise a valid point but please don’t bait the Archangel. Mermista, please refrain from poking the glittery demon,” she smiled sweetly as the pair turned their gazes on her and stared daggers, “Better. Now, onto Glitter’s point…”   


“ _ Glimmer _ .”   


“Gesundheit,” Bow bit his lip and stared at the ceiling as the pink-haired demon gesticulated at Catra, then glared at the Cherub. Catra continued, “Now, she raises a good point - we had to  _ track _ them. Heaven watches hotspots and WILL detect any major manifestations. Such as Adora’s episodes… which  _ Glimmer _ has done a rather good job of hiding.”

Glimmer opened her mouth automatically, then paused and lowered her hand, “....thanks.”

“Don’t mention it. Now, to Lonnie’s query - no, Heaven won’t  _ know _ what we’re doing. But we want them to have an inkling. Which means we need to put on a show they can sense, but not respond to immediately. That… is the easy part.”

Lonnie nodded, “I get it, I guess. You want to throw down, big dramatic death scene an all that. Won’t they want  _ proof _ ?”

“No. Or rather, they know we won’t easily be able to provide it. We just need evidence of a banishment or enough localised damage and a noticeable  _ decrease _ in demonic energies to… well… allay fears. This isn’t to stop them forever, this is to buy us time. And, if they  _ know _ it’s Adora, then they’ll expect… a rather large level of collateral, so it needs to be convincing.”   


“Lotta what ifs, though,” mused Mermista, “If they  _ don’t _ know, we could keep it localised?”

Frosta spoke up, “Hey, once you’re like… done… won’t they expect you back upstairs?”

Catra shook her head, “Again… I am the designated investigator. I just have to say I want to make  _ sure _ . Ensure there isn’t a cult, or another demon or something. But we do need them to at least be paying attention to  _ this _ area. And here we hit my main… snag.”

Lonnie looked at the magi, who were also listening in. One chimed in with, “Uh… you need to show demonic energy? Won’t your… um…. The demoness’s manifestations have drawn enough attention?”

Catra shook her head, “Not precisely. She’s clearly had episodes prior and… it’s been masked. I believe the curse somehow  _ protects _ her… which is  _ weird _ because it also makes her an ideal target as she’s vulnerable afterwards. There’s a whole load of contradictions here that I am uncomfortable with.”

The mage nodded, “So, um… you need to draw the attention, like a summoning? Can’t we just… move a circle, show them what’s going on?”

Lonnie shook her head and stared at Catra, “No, that’d be too… convenient, right?”

The Dominion nodded, “We might be officious, pompous and arrogant to a fault. But we aren’t dense,” she smiled as Lonnie tried to hide her own smile, “A convenient circle to broadcast a supposedly routine demon hunt - they might not suspect collusion but they would want to know  _ why _ . And we are not… great at lying.”

Lonnie glanced at Mermista, “Has she met you?”

The Archangel huffed, “What?”

“How long it take you to admit the whole Seahawk thing?”

“UGH That.. .that’s different. It was  _ complicated _ .”

Bow raised a hand, “Denial and lying… slightly different. Faith in ourselves, yeah that’s a constant test.”

Lonnie made an  _ mh-hm _ face, then looked back at Catra, “So, we’re spinning round this. We need something big to draw their attention, which isn’t you announcing it and making it look all big and set up, right?”

Catra nodded, “I could start fighting out of the blue, but the risk  _ there _ is they think it’s an ambush and they send a Century. We need a slow buildup of energy to draw the Virtue’s attention in the prayer hall, then a quick fight to ensure they know something has gone down. I can then… report in.”

“But… that’s lying?” Lonnie frowned, “I mean, you’re going to say you killed Adora?”

“No, I am going to tell the truth. That I fought and defeated someone who  _ looked _ like Adora. And that I need to remain to ensure no damage was done to  _ besmirch _ the reputation of the daughter of Mara.”

Glimmer eyed Catra’s smirk, “Damn, you  _ are _ conniving.”

“Work with the Greeks and Athens long enough… you pick up a few tricks.”

That got a half smile from Glimmer at least, “Fair. So, the problem is… you need a demonic ruckus but Adora is, what,  _ invisible _ ?”

Catra nodded, her lips pursed, “I have a feeling we’re in the middle of two chess games being played at once here.”

“Yeah. I mean… we thought that, maybe, dad had done something to mask her? But it doesn’t  _ feel _ like his particular signature, y’know?” Glimmer pursed her lips, “I mean the style is familiar, so perhaps he bolstered an existing element of the curse? But… why hide her? Like you said, seems like she was expected to kill a few angels, rampage through heaven, then get put down? Surely… you’d want to be able to find her?”

Catra nodded, “We must delve into that. When we have the time. So, do you think you might be able to cause enough noise?”

Bow glanced at Glimmer, “Well, you did say you haven’t exactly gotten your hands dirty yet, Glim… are you sure you want to?”

His voice was soft, concerned. The demoness looked at him and smiled in return, “Thats… thanks. And, um, well. I don’t need to really do much, as you know.”

Catra blinked, “Um, what do you mean?”

Glimmer blinked then dragged her hand down her face, “ADORA, did you tell her the  _ plan _ ?”

Adora raised a hand, still faceplanted on the camp cot, and waggled it in a dismissive gesture, then spoke with a muffled voice,  _ “Was kinda distracted _ .”

Glimmer huffed and the rest of the party exchanged confused glances, then the pink haired demon elaborated, “OK - you tracked us because we went a bit loud and you saw our… wake, collateral,  _ whatever _ . It’s part of how we’ve tried to track dad. Investigate, see what breadcrumbs we can find, because he has left  _ some _ clues. But, yeah we’ll.. .get to that, I guess.”   


Catra nodded, “We will. Trust me.”

The demon stared at her and nodded quickly, “Anyway, yeah… so we try to shake things up, locally. Part of our… deal with Shadow Weaver, cause some sin, I guess. Plus it’s Adora’s  _ thing _ now. Keep it relatively low key, but the odd riot, the occasional corporate collapse, overreacting clubs, y’know? We usually kept it low key because, y’know,  _ Heaven _ was watching and we thought a balancing act was best… Shadow Weaver wasn’t exactly happy, but we were following the letter of the agreement. She hasn’t specifically  _ asked _ for armageddon…”

The Dominion tapped her chin, “But… maybe she assumed Adora  _ would _ … curious. Anyway, go on.”   


“So, yeah… that little meet up you guys crashed? Full on Union and Blue collar worker meeting. We’ve um… laid the groundwork.”

Catra frowned, “For what?”

Glimmer studied her nails intently, “A small, tiny, maybe majorly distracting riot that would entirely occupy the Brightmoon municipal authorities and allow our little spam bot to dig into some more secure files and local government data, as well as some of the tech startups and maybe allow us to make use of their data….” she tailed off and smiled, “We weren’t gonna  _ kill _ anyone. Just… reduce the gentrification a bit, y’know? Adora’s all  _ fight the power _ . I mean, I get it, sort of? But, frankly, it’s a good distraction.”

Adora groaned from across the room and half stood, half rolled off the camp cot. With a growl, she pushed off the floor and was upright, “Damn you guys  _ yammer _ . You. Pretty angel. Coffee. Now.”

Catra blinked as Adora stalked over and grabbed the lapels of her jacket. The tall blonde yanked her in for a deep, intense kiss. Around the room several of the humans shifted and blinked rapidly. Lonnie swallowed and stared then looked at Bow, who winced.

“Yyyyep, still got some uhhh… excess there,” he squeaked. Adora pulled back and smiled lazily at Catra who seemed mildly stunned.

“Oh, oops. Hey, Catra? You broken?” her voice was a smug purr. The Dominion blinked slowly and smiled back.

“You’ll have to try harder than that…”

“Intend upon it…” Adora winked, then looked at Glimmer, “So, you want to kick off early? That’ll take a day to sort out. And it’s not even dawn. So, Catra and I are y’know gonna  _ go _ now.”

Catra blinked, “We are…? But, we have to plan and….?”

Adora fixed her gaze onto Catra’s face, “We. Are. Going. Because I can  _ not _ focus and we  _ won’t _ solve anything at four in the damn morning. The guys we need will be pissed out of their  _ minds _ right now, or require bail. So, love… can we please just lie down somewhere that doesn’t feel like I’m about to get a fax or something?”

“What’s a… fax?” Catra felt a little lost in those intense blue eyes for a moment.

_ “OH! Ancient technology from the DISTANT PAST of a few decades ago! Long distance photocopying of documentation and…” _

Adora smiled, “Thank you….” a frown crossed her face and she looked at Glimmer, “Is that… Emily?”

The pink-haired demon nodded, “And Hordak on the line too.”

“Ugh,  _ hi Hordak _ . Thought I heard you.”   


_ “Adora.” _

“Yep, still an asshole. But hey, doesn’t sound like you’re on The Dark Mistresses payroll?” Adora affected a pompous accent as she spoke, then swayed a little and braced herself against Catra, “Ok, seriously, I need  _ coffee _ . Or a decent bed. Take me  _ home _ Catra.”

The Dominion felt like she was having rings run round her. Adora had gone from sultry to mocking to  _ whiny _ in about thirty seconds. She looked over at Glimmer who shrugged. Catra huffed, “Is she always…. Like this?”

“Eh, normally more punching walls and screaming. Snoring too. But she isn’t kidding about the coffee.”   


Catra sighed, “ALright, let’s…. Table this for now. Lonnie, please have  _ your boys _ do some more digging… Glimmer, if you wouldn’t mind making a start in the morning  _ proper _ , on finding some contacts? Mermista, if your team can… look into a way to  _ fake _ a banishment, or at least make a defeat look convincing?”

The groups nodded and Bow scratched his head, “So… um, me?”

Catra arched an eyebrow, “I assumed you’d be keeping an eye on Sparkles….”

Glimmer, who had been turning away and was pulling her phone out, paused, “You just keep going  _ back  _ and  _ forth _ . Pick a lane, Catra!”

“Shant,” smirked the Dominion, then tugged at Adora, “Come on sleeping beauty. Let’s get your idiot rear end to bed then.”

Adora shook herself and managed to straighten up, then she leaned in close and flashed a wicked smile, “Promise?”

Catra just about managed another startled blink, before Adora, laughing, pulled her back towards the elevator.

\---------------------

They had managed,  _ somehow _ , to get back to Adora’s apartment. Adora was clearly in her element on the motorbike, but fell away completely as soon as she dismounted. She cursed as she stumbled and braced herself against the brickwork of the building. Catra paused next to her, a worried expression on her face.

“Is it always like this?”

Adora winced, then managed a smile, “It has good days. And bad. Normally I expel all the bad  _ juju _ , y’know? I feel drained, a bit crap. Some days it wipes me out and I can’t move or control my powers. Sometimes it’s  _ almost _ like this and I just get waves? This feels… different though.”

“Good or bad different?” Catra peered at Adora, taking all of her in, trying in vain to identify a  _ source _ of whatever issue was ailing her demon. She knew she was fussing, but she couldn’t help it. She felt, strangely, helpless in the face of this. Part of her knew that, from an objective perspective, that Adora was technically an enemy combatant who was now  _ vulnerable _ .

And that little thought sickened her. How far had they come that it was as black and white as that?

She helped Adora up to her apartment, then watched as the girl collapsed onto the bed with a sigh. For a moment she fiddled with the hem of her jacket, unsure. Now she felt exposed. Back in the office, she’d had a  _ plan _ . A goal, an objective and a  _ mission _ : save Adora by  _ fooling heaven _ . But now…. Before they could put it into action? She felt strangely exposed.

And not from Heaven - the reality was that they needed to keep their heads down and then enact the plan, not rush in. Part of her wanted to do it  _ now _ ; but Adora was in no shape for that. Was she scared of Heaven finding them? Closing in?

Blue eyes regarded her steadily and Catra realised Adora was looking at her. She coughed and managed a, “Um.”

“So eloquent. Truly Socrates taught you well,” smirked Adora, who lay in a rather undignified sprawl atop the bed. Her smirk shifted to a smile, gentle and kind, “We’re  _ safe _ here. I made sure of that, you know? Wards, the whole lot. I told you already.”

Catra nodded and looked at her hands, “Uh…”

Adora propped herself up on her elbows, her face suddenly full of concern, “Hey… if… if you’re not comfortable or… I know my head’s all over right now, so you don’t have to  _ do _ anything or feel obli-”

“Shut up idiot,” Catra closed her eyes and smiled, her words soft, “It’s just so  _ new _ and I’m… kind of overwhelmed. It’s not an emotion  _ I’m _ used to?”

The demon cocked her head and nodded slowly, “Ok.”

“And… I’m….scared.”

Adora watched Catra carefully, then extended an arm, “Of what?”

“Of this. Of you... _ for _ you. Of how I FEEL. Now I  _ know _ . I….” she closed her eyes and exhaled, “I said it before, but I  _ cannot _ bear the loss  _ again _ ,” she moved towards the bed, then clasped Adora’s hand. She allowed the demon to pull her onto the dark bedding and crawled up the bed to join the blonde.

She lay atop Adora and breathed out heavily. The demon stroked her back gently and giggled, “Hey, shouldn’t you be comforting  _ me _ ?”

Catra nudged her, “You are an incorrigible arse.”

“Maybe. But you smiled,” Adora hugged her close, then rolled them both onto their sides, “I’m… super scared too. But like you said. We fix this. And we  _ make _ it work. We’re fucking  _ celestial beings _ .”

The Dominion reached up and traced the line of Adora’s jaw, “I know. Just. Being here? Now? It hits me. And… I want to fix it  _ now _ , make it safe  _ now _ .”   


Adora sighed and stroked a hand through Catra’s hair, “You, being rash and impulsive? You do surprise me, Catra,” she smiled at Catra’s indignant expression, “What? You know it’s true. But you were always good with strategy. You have a plan, we just need to amend some details, lay it out and do what we can. Long haul, Catra.”

They stared at each other for a while, then Adora groaned and slumped on the pillows. Catra stroked her hand over the demon’s side and frowned, “You’re… warm. Is that normal?”   


“I run hot. No jokes, please.”

“Did you expect me to make some sort of blatant comment to flatter your ego?”

“I mean, would be  _ nice _ . I’ve called you pretty how many times now?”

“Didn’t realise it was a competition.”

Adora fluttered her eyes open again, “It’s us.  _ Everything _ is a competition. And right now you’re losing.”

Catra frowned, “Excuse me?”

“You currently have too many clothes on and have failed at the ‘give Adora a hug’ event.”

Catra blinked, confused and watched as Adora swung her legs from the bed. In a series of rather complicated movements, she watched as the demon kicked off her boots, then shimmied her pants down long, pale legs. Adora glanced over her shoulder as Catra managed a “Wh...at?”

“Enjoying the show? Babe, no fun tonight, I don’t want to start a fire in the building. But get your damn suit off and get under the covers. We need a nap.”

The Dominion barely processed as Adora stripped the complicated corset-like-top off, then tossed the clothing across the room. Catra couldn’t help it as her eyes raked across Adora’s naked body; she drank in the tattoos, the blemishes, the old scars. It was a strange experience - she’d understood the  _ appeal _ of physical bodies, the sense of arousal and the feeling of attraction.

She was not accustomed to this deep  _ need _ that now boiled within her. Was it her more-human form that drove this? Or was it seated closer to her spiritual self? She could tell both aspects seemed to have found an accord; namely that Adora was both  _ sexy _ and also  _ Catra’s. _

Adora turned and frowned, “Clothes. Off. Now.”

“My aren’t we bossy?” Catra smirked back at Adora, “Fancy your chances, do you?”

“I wish. I would be little fun for you right now. When we do  _ get _ there… I think we might need several miles of clear space…. Right now though, I need to  _ feel _ you. Need to know you’re here. So, clothes off  _ please _ ."

Catra knelt up and yanked her jacket off, then flopped over to peel off her trousers. Her phone clattered out of her pocket and rattled onto the floor, forgotten for the moment. She stared into Adora’s eyes as she did so and smirked as she realised that the demon’s expression was very likely a mirror of Catra’s from moments before. Both naked, they stared at one another. Both  _ could _ have just vanished their clothing, turned it to mere smoke. But something about this physicality, this  _ realness _ was more visceral and grounded.

Adora stepped back to the bed and crawled across it until she was inches from Catra’s face. Her smile was languid, “Mine,” she murmured.

“Yours,” croaked Catra. They leaned in and brushed lips gently. Adora sighed with content, then lifted the covers and clambered under. She held them up and Catra slid in next to her, where the demon enveloped her in a warm embrace.

Adora rested her chin atop Catra’s head and squeezed her gently. With a wave of her hand, the room’s lights switched off and they were left in the warm darkness. Catra pushed herself closer and relished the skin-to-skin contact. She felt warmth on her face and pulled a hand back to wipe at her eyes as she realised she was crying.

“Why?” she managed. Adora moved her head and planted a gentle kiss on Catra’s cheek.

“Same, love. Same.”

In the dark, Catra could make out a mirrored wetness on the blonde’s face. They smiled at each other and leaned in for a kiss. They sighed into one another; their embrace tightened as they trace tongues against lips and drank in each other’s presence. After what seemed an eternity they broke apart to stare at one another. A weariness had settled upon them; a contented but real exhaustion born of battling energies. Adora pulled Catra close once more and closed her eyes.

Gently, they drifted to sleep.

\------------

Catra flinched awake to a strange, reverberating buzz. She blinked but still felt groggy. It was strange, an odd numbness. She was about to push herself upright when she felt someone move.  _ Adora _ .

Immediately she relaxed - it was instinctive. If Adora was here and unhurried, then it was safe.

The buzzing stopped and she heard a muffled  _ “Hello?” _

Her eyes drifted closed as she nuzzled closer to the broad back in front of her. She could make out what sounded like half a conversation. Words like  _ “Who?”  _ and  _ “No.” _ and “ _ Occupied _ .”

Catra dismissed it as she fell back to sleep. Probably someone checking in.

She stirred awake a little later and groaned as she sat up. She felt  _ off _ . Rested, yes, but also oddly off kilter. What was the word that Glimmer had used? Hangover? She cast about the room and realised she was alone.

“Adora?”

With a grunt she swung her legs off the bed and felt her claws clip something on the floor. She peered down and frowned - her phone. Idly she picked it up and thumbed the screen. She saw it was late morning - they’d clearly overslept. Then she noticed a missed call and opened the call log.

A missed call, from the  _ air hostess _ ? Another one? And…

An accepted call. Again from the Fiona girl. But she hadn’t  _ answered _ her phone this morning. But… hadn’t Adora been speaking to someone…?

She blinked and swallowed, then looked at her messages - yes, there were more than she remembered - which meant Adora had probably just checked her texts as well. On the one hand she felt a bit annoyed that Adora had gone into her messages; but then again she had answered Catra’s ringing phone after a particularly heavy evening, likely by mistake aaaaand.

_ Who hurt you? _

The way Adora had stared at her bruised cheek after the kafveh incident. The barely contained  _ rage _ .

Oh. No.

A being of unbridled  _ justice _ and righteous fury had likely just identified the person who’d slapped the object of her affection.

With a flick of her wrist, Catra’s clothes were on her body again. She stumbled and winced, then paused. WIth a sense of fear she tried for her powers, to extend her abilities - they felt  _ muted _ . Strained. Too much time in the mortal form? Or some residue of the curse from Adora? Or something else?

In a mild panic at both the situation and her own sudden limits, she dialled Bow.

_ “Hey! So, the fact we’re not all looking at each other with embarrassment this morning… Can I assume you guys didn’t…” _

“Not right now. Where’s Adora?”

_ “Um. With you?” _

“Shit… I… I think she may be having a tantrum. With someone who doesn’t  _ necessarily _ deserve it. Because of me. Sort of.”

“ _ Huh…. about what exactly?” _

“The air hostess? Fiona? The one who slapped me after I… turned her down?”

_ “Ooooh yeah I can… I can see green eyed monster situations. Yep. Let me grab Mermista. She works for her, right? This Air hostess?” _

“Yeah… yeah, maybe…”

_ “Oh, wait. Hordak’s found them. Hotel lobby…. Fifth and main, the Marchmont.” _

“Meet me there. Just in case.”

Catra hung up and dashed out of the apartment. She had  _ no idea _ where the hotel was, she realised. A car turned the corner and pulled up, just as her phone rang. Hordak’s voice came over the line, “ _ I presume you are in a rush. This is an Uber. Use it. I would rather not attract undue attention as yet.” _

The driver was quiet as they drove, seeming to sense Catra’s tension. She wasn’t quite sure what she felt - guilt? Sort of, as she had felt something when Fiona had practically  _ thrown _ herself at Catra. Anger? Not really. Adora was… had never been possessive. She’d been so giving. So if she was being possessive now, was it terrible? Awful? Slightly arousing…? That last one felt wrong. And yet also not.

Catra felt confused. She didn’t want Adora  _ jealous _ or thinking… thinking  _ what _ ? That Catra had other current lovers? She DIDN’T. And hadn’t had any for a LONG time. Even as mortals her dalliances hadn’t exactly been numerous. But she felt worried that maybe… what?

Adora would think she’d led her on? Or that Adora would overreact against a pining mortal? Did she think so little of Adora? Or was it caution because she’d seen how easily Adora could fall victim to her emotions now?

The Uber pulled up in front of the hotel and Catra stumbled out. She straightened and inhaled - being flustered wouldn’t help things - and if Adora was in a  _ bad _ way, well… Catra wasn’t quite sure how she’d handle that - seeing as she still felt a bit off, power’s wise.

Bow was suddenly next to her, along with a concerned looking Glimmer. The demon gave Catra a once over and winced, “Ah. I can tell you’ve been hit with it.”

“Hit with what?” Catra felt blindsided.

“Residual curse… stuff. It disrupts magic and natural abilities. It’s why I have to move her quickly when she starts. Otherwise my teleports go  _ wonky _ . Usually  _ afterwards _ it’s not so bad, but seems like you got a bit of… bleed out from it? Feeling a bit off, out of sorts? Am I right?”

Catra tried a glare but then nodded, “You are correct.”   


“It won’t last long. We think it’s… another defence mechanism. Honestly, it shouldn’t have affected you since…. It’s usually only straight  _ after _ … but then it was  _ weirder _ this time.”

Catra pursed her lips, “So, a weakening curse that protects her, hides her  _ and _ weakens nearby beings that could hurt her. More chess moves _. _ And yes… I think we didn’t quite allow her to expunge all the energy. Ugh, this is… we’re wasting time.”

The trio pushed through the revolving doors and paused to look around. Glimmer gritted her teeth and held up her phone, “Where?”

Hordak’s voice came over the line,  _ “The ground floor cafe.” _

Catra licked her lips, “Quick, she might be about to…”

They pushed into the cafe and paused. Bow frowned, “...have a good time?”

Adora sat opposite Fiona, who was gesticulating wildly, miming some sort of story, whilst Adora smiled and nodded along. Catra frowned, a wholly different emotion in her chest now as she stared at the demon.

_ Mine _ .

Now she wanted to rip Fiona a new one. Was this how it went? The girl just... chatted up everyone? And now she was going to steal  _ Catra’s…. _

Adora glanced over and smiled, then beckoned Catra over. Bow and Glimmer exchanged a glance. The cherub coughed, “We’re uh…”

“Going to check on…”

“Things… so many…”

“Things.”

And with that they blinked away. Catra glared at the empty space where the pair had been, then stalked over to the seated pair. Fiona and Adora were opposite one another across a small coffee table. The decor had a faint French feel to it - French  _ court _ that is - gold chair frames, plush red cushions and large mirrors around the edges of the cafe.

Catra paused next to Adora and shot Fiona a  _ look _ , then turned her gaze to Adora, who stared up at her impassively. Catra twitched, “So, you leave me to go on...a date?”

Adora’s eyes clouded and she frowned, “No. I came here to meet the woman calling my girlfriend at nine in the morning, begging to meet. A woman who my girlfriend had failed to mention.”

The Dominion licked her lips but was interrupted by a cough from across the table. She looked over and Fiona managed a weak smile, “Um… hi. Look, before… before I cause any more issues… Catra I am  _ really _ sorry. I…. I overstepped the mark. I shouldn’t have hit you and… I should have acted with more grace. Respected your boundaries.”

Catra searched her face for any sign of  _ compulsion _ or coercion, “That is… understandable. I was hardly pushing you away,” she flinched and glanced at adora, who remained impassive. She looked back at Fiona whose smile was smaller now.

“No and… I’d be lying if I didn’t admit it hurt. I felt drawn to you. Felt… maybe understood? Intense. And I just wanted to make it  _ right _ . Adora’s… put some things into perspective. She’s… she’s a keeper,” Fiona tilted her head and her green eyes seemed wet with unshed tears, “I never stood a chance, really.”

The blonde tore her gaze from Catra and leaned one arm against her knee. She shrugged, “Don’t do yourself down, Fiona. Circumstances. Don’t give up. But… maybe think about  _ who _ you want, y’know? Maybe avoid  _ clients _ ? Just a thought.”   


Fiona nodded and held her hands up, “Yeah that… that was dumb. Risky. Just…”   


Adora smiled, “It’s Catra. I do understand. I’ve  _ been there.  _ But… chasing won’t help. Chasing  _ anyone _ . You have to put yourself out there and… hope. BUT... most importantly, learn to love _you._ _ ” _

Catra watched the exchange, nonplussed. Fiona nodded at Adora, then stood, “I best leave you to it. Got to get to my next flight. Catra… I’m sorry again. That was inexcusable but I hope you can forgive me. I want to wish you both the best. Take care.”

Catra watched the girl leave, then turned back to Adora who was now half sprawled in her chair, “What was that?”

The demon gestured to the recently vacated chair, then steepled her fingers. Catra frowned, then slid into the seat. Adora watched her for a moment, then spoke, “You thought I was going to tear her to pieces.”

The Dominion pursed her lips, “I…. honestly, no. I wasn’t  _ sure _ . Because I don’t  _ know _ what you get like post  _ curse _ . I was  _ worried _ because I woke up and you had  _ gone _ .”

Adora twitched at that, then leaned forwards and ran a hand through her blonde hair. Her forearms flex and Catra had to focus on the girl’s face, “Yeah… yeah, ok, that… you have a point. But you didn’t mention her. Or the fact she  _ hit _ you.”

“First off… we hadn’t quite re-established our relationship  _ and _ by the time we had, you weren’t exactly in a place for in depth discussions about  _ non events _ .”

The demon frowned, “She threw herself at you and…”

“And I turned her  _ down _ because I felt guilty about us before there even  _ was _ an us. AND you could have  _ spoken  _ to me this morning.”

Adora opened her mouth, then exhaled through her nose and nodded curtly, “You’re… dammit you’re right.”

Catra nodded stiffly, “Duh, ignoramus. So, why didn’t you nail her to a wall, Ms Jealousy incarnate?”

“I… wasn’t… jealous. Just… wanted to have it out with her about  _ touching _ you. And making sure she knows you are  _ not _ available.”

“Yes, because she seems intimidated….”

Adora smirked humourlessly, “I don’t need to flash these guns for that.”

“So what did you do? Charmspeak?”

“Ew, no. That’s for rapists, murderers and telemarketers. No I…. talked to her. Found out  _ why _ . Saw her insecurities and her... actual remorse, y'know? And, y’know what. I can’t blame her. Not at all,” Adora shrugged and looked away, “Plus you didn’t exactly rein in your Angel beams, did you? All mortals get a bit handsy if you don’t…”

Catra grimaced, “Yes, well… my bad.”   


“Indeed. Can’t punish someone if it wasn’t quite their fault. And also… if they feel remorse. Sooo, I just gave her some advice, set some boundaries.”

“Boundaries, huh?”

“Yes. She’s still got your number  _ but _ I advised that bombarding you with texts… not advisable And that maybe she should put some value on  _ herself _ .”

Catra stared at Adora, “Ok… that sounds… remarkably self assured. But... she still has the temptation”

Adora shrugged, “I can motivate others  _ really _ well. You know this. But... yes. What is _good_ unless acted on consciously _every day_.”

“...True. So…”

The demon smiled and shoved the coffee table to one side, then reached over and tapped Catra’s bobbing foot. The angel had barely registered that she’d crossed her legs and was twitching, “So… yeah. Problem solved. I was tempted to just charmspeak her into something embarrassing or into being a  _ better person _ …. But I saw how sad she was and…. yeah.“

“You softie,” smiled Catra.

Adora shrugged, “I do justice, not petty vengeance. But if I find any more girls in your…”

“No! There are no more lovers. Never really _were_. No connections, just... something to do. And… Fiona was,” Catra sagged, “I was  _ lonely _ Adora. I’ve been lonely so long, but it wasn’t  _ right _ . So I didn’t.”

Adora shrugged, “Like we said - the past is the past. I was jealous. And I sometimes  _ will be _ of the things I missed out on. Such is life. And… I know what you mean.”

They regarded each other across the space and shared a smile. Catra sighed, “We’re a bit of a mess, eh?”

Adora laughed, “A bit. Yeah that was… dumb of me to dash off. I should have  _ talked _ but… I wanted to…”

“....fix it?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, let’s  _ talk _ it through. Only be rash if it’s  _ dire _ . And early morning texts were no excuse to deprive me of….” Catra looked away and blushed faintly, “You know…waking up with you.”

Adora sighed and hung her head, “Yeah… that was an asshole move. Do we… have to rush?” she looked back up tentatively. Catra stared around the cafe. It was quiet, the smell of teas and caffeine percolating through the air. The quiet murmur of conversation. For a moment, she could pretend all was at peace. She smiled and looked back at Adora.

“No. No rush at all.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These two idiots. Coming to terms with centuries of pining and Adora finally acting on her jealousy only to find out the girl isn't a hideous harridan but JUST A LONELY SAD THING.
> 
> Adora isn't a monster ;) But may have just said "yeah, you're fun. Touch her and die. Have a nice dayyyyy."
> 
> Right filler fluff DONE, PLOT in next chapter. Wanted to stretch out the cute a little bit more but we're gonna motor soon.
> 
> As ever, let me know your thoughts. This chapter is mainly fleshing out Heaven, the curse and showing Adora / Catra still learning. Please let me know if you reckon it flows and where you think we're going with all this!


	20. Circle in a spiral

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girls bond and ponder themselves.
> 
> Catra wins a race.
> 
> And she makes a decision about Seraphs.

The day was oddly pleasant; the pair able to ignore the looming challenge ahead. They touched on it briefly as Adora explained, over their fourth coffee (Which drew some curious stares from the baristas) about their links to the rather frustrated pseudo revolutionary elements of Brightmoon.

“Not like the French. Not at all,” sighed Adora. Catra scoffed and sipped at her latest coffee - a concoction of caramel, steamed milk and Mara-knew what else. It was liable to send a mortal’s kidney’s into shock.

“Who is, really? So, not that passionate?”

“Oh they are, so so passionate…” Adora harrumphed, “But they  _ write _ about it. On the internet. Get very angry then  _ write _ about it. It’s why we had to rile up the bikers. And the workers. The bleeding hearts just… don’t follow through. Soooo we’re gonna  _ make _ them.”

Catra shook her head and smirked, “Wow, look at you Adora. A firebrand!”

“You like?” Adora leaned back and splayed her arms with a smirk. Catra looked away, but smiled, “Awwww, how… cute.”   


Catra levelled a finger, “Only  _ you _ are allowed to get away with that.”

Adora grinned widely, “Yay!”

Their back and forth was interrupted by a chime on Adora’s own phone. She read the message and huffed, which made Catra lean forwards, “Is it… time?”

Adora nodded, “Best go rally the troops. We doing this tonight?”

“If… if you’re up to it?” Catra reached across the small space and Adora reached back, their hands entwining, “We can… wait, if you need to recover some more.”

The demon shook her head, “To be honest… if they’re watching, I might accidentally go full _rarrrr_ _smash smash_ , y’know?”

Catra quirked an eyebrow, “Really? That’s… that’s what you’re going with to describe your hellishly powerful uber form?”

Adora’s smile was, to put it bluntly,  _ devilish _ , “Who said I was talking about  _ fighting _ Catra. Wow, one track mind much? Angels only want one thing from demons these days,” she leaned close and her voice sank to a purr, “Bet I can still pin you.”   


If Catra’s eyes could have gotten any wider she’d have probably lost them, “Ummmm.”

“Flustered you is cute, nice to have the boot on the other foot,” Adora squeezed her hand and relaxed her lascivious expression, “Seriously, if I  _ look _ weaker, seem weaker, well.. Then your little white lie might pay off. Because they’ll expect me to go full on, no holds barred.”

The Dominion managed to organise her tumbling thoughts and swallowed. She had to lick her lips, which drew the demon’s eye and raised another grin on Adora’s face. Catra squeezed her hand and tried for a frown, but failed dismally, “Yes, well... _ anyway _ , Ms Smash All Day long..”

“Promise?”

“ANYWAY, we will have to… make it look good. So, can you do that?”

“Unleash my repressed resentment and sense of failure into a believable montage of violence the like of which the world has rarely seen?” Adora let Catra’s hand go gently and stroked her fingers over the angels as she leaned back in her chair and raised her arms above her, “....yeah I think I can get into it.”

Catra twitched and frowned, her own thoughts dark for the barest moment. Adora watched her carefully until Catra nodded slowly, “Then I will bring my sense of abandonment, loss of friendship and grief at what could have been.”   


The demon smiled, “Not very angelic?” her voice was soft. The Dominion gave a half shrug.

“Losing hope really isn’t. I did, for a while. Just… lived for the work. Didn’t even realise I was doing it. Not until I helped Kyle… and Rogelio.”

Adora shifted and crossed her legs, her booted foot bouncing gently as she stared up at the ceiling, “The Virtue? Seems like a good one.”

“He is. They all are, really. We’ve had to change so much, but you wouldn’t think that from how half of the Seraphs preen. It’s like we’re still dealing with nomadic tribes and stone tablets from half the rubbish… mind you,” she winced, “I was like that too…”

“Well, it takes being down in the dirt to give perspective… we both forgot that for a while. And we weren’t great even when we were down,” mused Adora. She stretched her arms forward and hunched her shoulders, her fingers laced together. Catra watched, entranced by the movement and Adora continued, “Perspective helps… I was  _ lost _ for a long time. Hell, I barely had a purpose, even with Glimmer. Just  _ find a solution _ . But I don’t even know what the problem is…”

Her gaze slipped away and her eyes glazed for the barest moment. Catra shuffled to the edge of her seat, “What?”

“You know… there were times I just thought… why not go  _ all in _ . Just… unleash it. Bring down heaven. Rupture the earth. What did it matter? My own Mother forsaking me? In thrall to  _ Shadow Weaver? _ Why not just… let go?”

Catra studied her and nodded, “Lose yourself to your… purpose? Is it a purpose?”

“Lose myself to the void. Some days I wondered if… maybe the pain of it would stop,” her gaze flicked back to Catra, “I needed you and I didn’t really  _ know _ I needed you.”

Catra stood, walked around the table, then sat in Adora’s lap, her arms threaded around the demon’s neck. She stared into those steel-blue eyes, “Same.”   


Adora snorted, “Wow. Anti-climactic.”

Catra grinned at the shift in Adora’s demeanour and hugged her closer, “No, foolish one, I mean it. I just went with things. But, I look back and it felt like… I don’t know, a shadow? A puppet display on the wall of a cave.”

“Look at you, you did listen to Plato that one time!”

“What! He didn’t drone like Socrates…  _ anyway _ . My point… I get it. I drifted too. Had to find  _ something _ to focus on. But you’ve always been strong Adora. I can’t… imagine what it was like, but you did what you could, made some… sort of  _ good _ come out of it. In a really  _ really _ weird way. And I’m sorry. SO sorry that I wasn’t there. That I couldn’t  _ find _ you. But… I have now.”

Adora swallowed and her voice croaked, “I know. I know.”

Catra leaned back and gripped her chin, “So, no leaving. If anyone else tries to curse you and throw you into hell, I expect you to at least give them a black eye. Just so I can get there and finish the damn job so they never  _ exist _ . Anyone touches you again  _ anyone _ … well, even hell hath no fury…”

Adora silenced her with a bruising kiss. A harrumph from the counter made them split after a few minutes, giggling with heady relief. With a sigh, Catra stood and pulled Adora with her. The demon laid a hand on her shoulder, “Let’s get back to your weird Scooby gang then…”   


“Scooby what?”

Adora laughed and pulled Catra behind her, “Wow, so much to catch you up on… they really are behind in Heaven…”

“If it’s not part of the Plan, the Seraphs don’t care.”

The demon scowled as they got outside. The pair fell into step as they headed back towards the office block, “The Plan. That never sat well with me. Mainly because no one  _ knew _ what was in it.”

Catra huffed, “Best I could ever find out it was some sort of contingency. The Seraphs trying to shoehorn the universe along a specific path. Be nice if they bothered briefing us.”

Adora hummed, “YYyyyeah. Mother never mentioned it… just Light Hope doing her usual officious stuff. It just fell into the  _ vernacular _ .”

Catra shot her a sideways look, “Look at you expanding your lexicon.”   


The demon ran a hand through her hair dramatically. The movement did  _ interesting _ things to her black outfit, “Well, I am a  _ scholar _ , you know… hmmmm?” her voice lilted into an exaggerated attempt at  _ upper class _ and Catra giggled. Legitimately giggled.

“Shut up, idiot.”

“Crude. It suits you. More like old you.”   


The Dominion smiled, “Yeah…. May do me good to get in touch with that again.”

“I was about to say something about pulling the rod out of your ass….” she leaned over, “But maybe….”

Catra swatted at her, “ADORA! Shut UP!”

The demon  _ skipped  _ ahead, cackling, “Bet I can beat you there!”

And she broke into a sprint. Catra made a shocked noise, half indignation, half surprise, then bolted after her. They ran, laughing, weaving between dazed pedestrians. Adora vaulted over a mailbox, which she sent spiralling down. Paper went flying and Catra rolled over it, her wrist flicking as she went. The letters fluttered, then neatly stacked themselves on the pavement.

Adora slipped between two people, who immediately cinched into a passionate kiss. Catra cracked her whip an inch from their faces and they flew apart. Catra passed by them and shouted after Adora, “THEY WEREN’T MARRIED!!!”

“So?”

“Well… NOT TO EACH OTHER!”

“Let them be  _ happy _ !”

Catra huffed and dodged and dived. Adora led her on a merry chase, never too far ahead. Which meant she was being cocky. Catra could use cocky. She ignored a couple of Adora’s distractions and tried one of her own.

Adora screeched to a halt as a dog’s lead snapped. The animal skittered off at a dash and looked about ready to hurtle into the road. Adora veered and grabbed at it, the sudden movement sending her off balance. She rolled and blinked as Catra dashed past with a wave and sprinted the last few metres into the square in front of the office. She caught a shouted “HEY!” but kept going.

With a cheer, she slapped her palm against the glass front of the building and turned. Adora jogged up, her face set in frustration, but she was trying to hide a grin, “You cheated.”

“Me? Nah. How’s it feel to be the slowest thing going, eh?”

“The dog….”

“That you saved, yeah. Don’t pretend I didn’t see that.”   


“The dog  _ you _ let go….”

Catra grinned, “What, I was no where near it!”

Adora levelled her gaze and placed a hand on the office window and loomed above Catra. For her part, the Dominion stared back, “You sure you didn’t flash cat ears and get it all excited?”

The Dominion tried for innocence, “Whaaaat? Did I distract you?”

The demon tried for a glare, but the smile was there, still, “Cheating from an angel, I think you need a bit of discipline…”

Catra smirked, “Don’t threaten me with a good time.”

“If you two are quite done, there are  _ mortals _ present!” the two glanced to the side, where Mermista stood, arms crossed and a faintly flushed expression on her face. She waved a hand at the pair, “You guys are, like, beaming  _ horny _ in a hundred metre radius… can you please tone it down? Before, y’know, the poor dopey humans can’t tell their asses from their elbows… or each other’s...”

Adora leaned back and laughed while Catra flushed. The demon dragged Catra in for a kiss, then broke apart with an arched eyebrow, “Your reward for a good win… alright, Triton, let’s map this out and make a  _ start _ .”

Catra let herself be led by the hand laced with hers. She felt rather proud of herself. Worth it for Adora’s smile.

And a kiss.

\--------------------

The plan was, really, simple. Step one - warn Light Hope about  _ vague demonic threats _ . Drop hints. Step two - riots! With Entrapta and Hordak mitigating spread and increasing emergency response times to ensure the bad behaviour didn’t get too out of hand. Step three - show down.

The magi had all been sworn to abject secrecy, something that had had to be repeated after a couple sloped in after an early break and with guilty looks on their faces. Catra chalked that up to maybe them getting frisky. If she was, well, why shouldn’t they? So she let it slide.

She held hands with Adora as the two demons prepared to leave to sort their final meetings and to get things  _ rolling _ . It was likely the protest would start this evening, but not escalate until later. They just stood off to one side and regarded one another. Around them, around the tables and work stations, the magi began their ward preparation, to corral the likely excess energies that would result from a full on battle between two Celestial beings.

Bow worked with Lonnie to map out vulnerable points and likely sites of reactive responses - where the expended demonic and angelic energies might burst and amplify, creating unforeseen issues. They couldn’t cover  _ everything _ , but they could mitigate any outbreaks of, say, feverish piety, or slavish lust.

One and the same to some people.

Mermista was on the phone to various agencies, dropping informant hints about  _ likely civil unrest _ , whilst Frosta charmed the media and got them psyched up as well. Glimmer, oddly, was working with Entrapta on viable sightings, getting ready for the  _ payback _ part of this deal - to track down  _ Micah _ .

Which, honestly, felt like a really  _ good _ deal. Micah had been a good sort. And, if they could find him… well, a step in the right direction at least.

She watched Adora step away after another kiss, this one gentle and tender - full of promise and  _ hope _ . Catra felt like something within her had been filled. And she  _ knew _ that Adora felt the same. Just  _ knew _ . Not a doubt anywhere.

The demons exchanged brief farewells and confirmed their parts of the plan, then vanished in a flash of purple sparkles. Catra sagged as her chest twinged with the  _ loss _ of her… mate? Soul? Her legitimate  _ other half _ .

As she pondered that, her mind clicked and reshuffled the reality of things. As angels they had complimented one another, been inseparable. But it was also, as she thought about it, something of a precursor. Back then she had been an impulsive, headstrong and, basically,  _ arrogant _ creature. Not prideful, but confident and perhaps… unaware. Kind, supportive and loyal, but not the best at really  _ thinking _ .

It was only through Bow and learning and focusing on her work that she had learned. And through this collection of misfits. Her gaze took in her strange family. That  _ was _ the word for it - bonds formed by choice and necessity, but bonds nonetheless. They were tenuous, new… but she knew she  _ valued _ them, beyond just some sort of professional arrangement.

With a shudder she rolled her shoulders. The first part of their plan would require tact, subtlety and a lot of brass-neck to stare down a  _ Seraph _ .

The other cleared the way, heading for the lift and Catra stepped towards the circle. Kyle nodded and smiled, his ethereal presence a welcome sight.

_ “Hey Catra… my lady Catra, I mean…” _

She shook her head, “Cael Han, you have earned the right by now. Or I should say  _ Kyle _ . I see you and Lonnie are… close now?”

The Virtue smiled, but it was melancholy, “ _ She is… a wise woman. I wish I’d met someone like her when i was… mortal.” _

Catra smiled, “Well, the universe will find a way… or maybe  _ you _ should find a way. God helps those who help themselves, after all.”

Kyle shuffled, “ _ Rogelio…” _

“Seems to like her too. Love is love. I know that now. It’s worth exploring it. I know you  _ both _ care for her. She cares for you both.  _ You _ care for both of them.”

The Virtue swallowed and nodded, “ _ Just… how? I’m… this circle won’t be up forever….” _

“You’re a clever and resourceful sort,” smirked Catra. She planted a hand on a cocked hip, “I’m sure you or your boyfriend will work something out. I know I’d tear the stars from the sky… so there’s your benchmark.”   


Klye laughed at that, “ _ I’d um, like to avoid stellar mishaps.” _

“What’s one supernova between lovers?” she revelled in the clear  _ blush _ on the poor Virtue. HE was in Heaven - such a thing  _ shouldn’t _ have been easy to do. But clearly some of the real bled into the circle as much as the divine bled through into the real.

“ _ Speaking of… um… Light Hope?” _

Catra frowned, “What’s going on?”

_ “Not sure. Lot more Powers marshalling and drilling. The city is feeling busier somehow. The Seraphs have been in council the past day or so. Hall of Prayer has been busy too.” _

“That doesn’t sound great. Can you get Hope here? Soon? Thought she’d be… on call?”

“ _ Rogelio is requesting her presence.” _

Catra nodded and they lapsed into companionable silence. After what seemed an age but was, in fact, only 15 minutes, Kyle drew back with a low bow. Catra caught a glimpse of Rogelio and then stood straighter as the austere vision that was Light Hope stepped into the circle.

_ “Dominion Catra. I request an update.” _

Catra knelt, “Seraph Light Hope, Mistress of the Cord, Holder of the Scroll of Truth, Bearer of the Banner of Mara, Herald of the Dawn… I wish to confirm that we have identified demonic influence and have successfully tracked them here.”

Light Hope seemed momentarily taken aback by the formality, but steeled her expression,  _ “They have not been vanquished?” _

“I wished to query something. Something that… troubles me. Has made me realise I was… out of turn.”

_ “Your faith is shaken, Dominion?” _

“Not my faith. My past. This demon… it wears the face…. Of  _ Adora _ .”

Light Hope froze. Her white eyes seemed impassive. Catra remained stock still. Light Hope spoke carefully, “ _ You believe this to be Adora? That would be bla-” _

“It cannot be, my lady. Adora would rather die in mortal combat than turn to the vile corruption of Shadow Weaver. This thing, this  _ aberration _ . It wore her face to mock me. To make me stay my hand… and I did. But I managed to strike. We have fought  _ thrice _ . A complex outside of town, where it fled. Then twice more in the woods.”

Light Hope studied her and nodded slowly, “ _ We have traced emanations across the city you are currently within. This appears to correlate with what the Seraphs have seen. And this being has…. Displayed no anomalous behaviour?” _

Catra managed to emulate a look of genuine confusion. It was fairly close to curiosity, seeing as she  _ was _ curious, “Anomalous, my lady? It influences mortals, fights with hellfire… but it is  _ weak _ . It relies on trickery. Cunning. It can aparate and move swiftly and blends with the populace. Nothing we have not met before. This one merely has the experience of evasion. This was why it was able to hide so long - it was learning  _ patience _ . We have seen some minor demons do this before, but this one just lasted longer, with such a large population of  _ monkeys _ to hide within.”   


She felt guilty at the use of what she now knew to be a slur. But Light Hope cared neither way - Mortals had always been a minor curiosity at best, from what Catra understood from Adora. Indeed, the Seraph now looked… frustrated.

_ “Dominion Catra, you must ascertain whether this being is in possession of any anomalous traits. You must slay it. No hesitation. It will likely lie. Claim to be what it is not. Sow doubt. Shadow Weaver has become more cunning than we gave her credit for. To subvert our most precious….” _

Catra heard the Seraph pause, but didn’t bite. She played the part of loyal soldier. SHe knew that, if Light Hope sent a Century in force this could  _ escalate _ out of her control. But Catra would give her what looked like a perfect, sealed solution, “My Lady, I will not waver. I will not deny my surprise, but I believe this being would have found any weakness in a hunter sent after her. She is skillful, quick. A  _ challenge _ .”

Her enthusiasm was genuine here and Light Hope noticed. She seemed actually  _ pleased _ by the faint uptick of her mouth,  _ “I see you are engaged, This is good. Show no quarter - we cannot risk you being tempted.” _

“Indeed, my lady. To that end I have a request.”

_ “Make it.” _

“A century of angels, on stand by, should I fall to the beast.”   


_ “You said it was weak.” _

“Indeed. But I will not allow  _ pride _ to deny Heaven success. I will not become like the betrayer. I will not put my own self and ability above the good of the Host. We believe this demon has a thrall, a lesser demon. This other will not fight us directly; it skulks in the shadows. And, I believe we can eliminate it without any collateral damage.”

The Seraph frowned, “ _ Your demeanour has altered. You are not combative. Not argumentative. You display a humility not previously present.” _   


Catra swallowed as she realised she may have laid it on a  _ bit _ thick. She took a deep breath.

“I am… shaken, my lady. More than I perhaps realised. This experience has rattled me and… and I find myself needing to prove myself, to overcome my previous arrogance. Seeing her face just… I have not seen her in centuries and it made me falter. Made me feel  _ weak _ ,” she looked up then, into Light Hope’s face, let her love for Adora fuel her words, “But I will fight to ensure her memory is kept pure. I meant what I said before, that Hordak is of use, that he has helped us track this…. This  _ deceiver _ . But I will not make the mistakes of the past here. I would rather be  _ sure _ .”

Light Hope nodded,  _ “As it should be. You are showing wisdom I had not credited you with. I am… impressed, Dominion Catra. We will ready a Century and observe your hunt. Eyes of Heaven will be upon you. You bring glory and peace to Mara - she will be relieved that you have rid the planes of a being that besmirches the reputation and honour of our beloved lost Adora.” _

“If I may, my Lady…. Is Adora…. Is she truly gone?” Catra’s voice did crack slightly then. The thought of Adora being gone, even as a mere  _ thought _ , despite knowing the truth, still chilled her.

The Seraph gave a single nod, “ _ I will tell you this. She died in service to the host. She slew a beast of the Pit that breached the heaven wall, somehow. But in doing so… she was utterly lost to us. We did not know how to tell the Host. That Mara is grieving. That the Seraphs must… carry her will. I entrust this to you, this secret, Dominion Catra, for the loyalty you have shown. Succeed here and you will be elevated. This abomination, this creature of lies must be slain. And any others who try to bear her face. Strike this being down, show not an iota of mercy. Do not listen to its words. To its protestations.” _

Catra clenched her fists. Her fury was real. The target not what Light Hope clearly  _ thought _ . She spoke with difficulty and kept her gaze low, “My lady, I vow upon Mara’s eternal will that I will strike down the creatures that did Adora harm, that took her beacon away from the world. The  _ beast _ that did it may be gone, but all of the monsters who stalk the planes will feel my wrath.”

Light Hope folded her hands in front of her and bowed, “ _ As it should be. I will ensure a Century are prepared. Waver and the Century will do what you cannot… but know that we will understand why you wavered. We will merely ensure that things are brought to a close. This is as the Plan has ordained. The sign of demons on Earth once more, a sign of the end times. Once you are finished, we must discuss this in more detail. I feel you will be instrumental, Dominion Catra. More of the Plan is clear to me now.” _

Catra rose and nodded, her jaw set. Her rage barely buried. The barefaced  _ lie  _ of all of it.

Angels did  _ not _ lie to one another.

She had bent the truth, yes, half truths. From a certain point of view.

And, technically, Light Hope had done the same. But it had strayed into a  _ lie _ when she said Adora was  _ dead _ .

Maybe she was, from the Seraph’s perspective? But either way, Light Hope was not being  _ forthright _ .

The Seraph departed and Catra waited until Kyle reappeared to give an  _ all clear. _ Their office building was partly warded, so Catra knew they had a little time before the Hall of Prayers put a proper scrying focus onto her  _ specifically _ to observe the actual hunt for Adora. Heaven looking over her shoulder, with a contingent Powers ready to descend.

Obviously, Adora would utterly  _ annihilate _ them, Catra knew that. But that would open a whole can of issues.

Hopefully the prayers, the mess of the riots, the sheer spiritual and demonic exertion would be enough to blind and confuse. And the coup-de-grace the had planned would certainly be dramatic and should fool the oblivious Host who hadn’t exactly kept up with Earth progress….

She had her hands clenched as she ran through the plan, her jaw still tight. A palm settled on her shoulder and she flinched, her half turn taking in Bow. The Cherub’s expression was one of concern, “What?”

“Um… Catra… your wings are out and the carpet is… kind of burning….”

The Dominion looked down and saw that a perfect circle of carpet around her hadn’t just burned away - it had atomised. Like it had been shaved off with a laser, to reveal the tiled floor beneath the now-vanished carpet squares. She also noted her wings were out and  _ glowing _ .

Yeah. She was  _ pissed _ .

And, she realised, she was probably going to obliterate Light Hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, another two-part chapter - should have the second bit (FIGHT) up Mon / Tuesday.
> 
> This would have been a HECTIC chapter otherwise. And I feel I owe you all some ANGELIC CONTENT.
> 
> Also, rating change as we may get more heavy themes.


	21. A Clash of Titans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adora muses on her futures.
> 
> Catra plays it up
> 
> And battle commences.

“So. She’s the one huh?”

The afternoon sun was hanging low over the tops of the trees that bordered Brightmoon - clearly visible from the top of the partially constructed office block. Adora leaned against a girder, one knee propped up in front of her with an arm draped over it, her other leg dangling down alongside the exposed steel. Her eyes tracked up lazily to where Glimmer stood, perched on another steel bar ten feet above her. The pink-haired demon had her head turned away and her hands shoved into the pockets of her leather jacket.

Adora smiled and leaned her head back against the concrete behind her, “Yep.”

“Just like that? Bam, fluffy wings and cute cat ears and you’re suddenly all distracted?”

The blonde demon narrowed her eyes and glared up at Glimmer, “You think she’s… cute?”

Glimmer paused and looked down, then swallowed, “You  _ know _ what I mean.”

Adora flexed her fingers and sighed, then blinked. She knew her eyes had gone red for a moment there, and willed them back to cerulean calm once more. She sighed, “Yeah…. Yeah I know. And in answer to your question… it’s not that simple.”

“I mean… seems simple. You’re thinking with the other bits of your metaphysical physiology.”   


“I’m thinking with the part of my being that I ignored for seven milenia, Glimmer. We were at  _ Troy _ together. We saw Mesopotamia collapse. We dragged a pair of idiotic, barely cogent philosophers out of the Library of Alexandria. And not once did I have the courage to own up to things. So, yeah, damn right I’m going all in. Because, Glimmer, I don’t know how  _ long _ I have left.”

The pink hair girl swivelled and stared down at her, “Don’t…. Don’t talk like that.”   


Adora sighed and sagged a little, “Why not? It’s true. I mean, this… whole thing. Finding your dad? I  _ hope _ we do. I really do. But what if.. What if this is it? I just slowly go more and more feral until… until I’m nothing more than an attack dog, hm? Shadow Weaver may be… helping, but you know her. She’d like me in control of this, but she’d accept me being a monster on a leash just as well.”

“I really  _ really _ dislike her. Like, a  _ lot _ .”

“Catra?”

Glimmer kicked a piece of scrap off the girder, “....no. Her I actually, kind of… approve? Shadow Weaver I mean. She’s a bitch.”

Adora snorted, “No arguments here. A useful bitch.”

“Buuuut a bitch,” sing-songed Glimmer, “And… yeah, Catra is… acceptable. I can’t be that angry at her,” the pink haired demon huffed, “Not when she,” she waved a hand at Adora, “Makes you actually approachable.”

“Thanks, I think?”

“So… what did you actually say to the girl who hit on her?”

“Oh I told her to reinvent her life and to have some confidence in herself,” Adora smiled, but it was a smidgen too wide. Glimmer arched an eyebrow, “Oh fine. I told her that if she texted Catra again it’d go badly for her and she’d believe she was a horse for the rest of her life. Threats of violence were forthcoming… and then she gave me her life story.”

Glimmer chuckled, “You’re a softy for a damsel in distress.”

The demoness scoffed and flipped the bird at Glimmer, “I was about two seconds from gutting her, I will admit. Buuuuut… she was an innocent. An  _ idiot _ , but an innocent. And I can’t exactly hold it against her for doing something I didn’t have the guts to do.”

“Not very  _ demonic _ of you Adora,” teased Glimmer with a smirk.

“Yeah, no, leave it to the pit slime to do the malicious, twisted stuff. They’re barely sentient anyway. No, we’re about  _ judging _ . Correcting. Which I did. And if my action meant she leaves Catra alone… well,” Adora splayed her hands and shrugged, “Sometimes, ya just gotta  _ do _ .”

“Go, queen,” smirked Glimmer, then turned her gaze out to the city, “So… we’re doing this? You trust them for this to not be a massive setup?”

“What, the Cherub didn’t convince you?” Adora waggled her eyebrows, then stretched.

“S...shut up!”

“Hey,  _ he’s _ cute. Not my type.”   


“What, not enough cat ears?”

Adora grinned wider, “No tail. Can’t  _ wait _ to see what she can do…”

“Ok, ENOUGH! You are not a succubus, not… nope, nuh uh!”

The blonde laughed and stared at her pink haired friend, “Why, Glimmer, are you  _ embarrassed _ ? Is… he that good?” she arched one of her dark eyebrows in a mockery of a scandalised expression.

“We haven’t even!” Glimmer clenched her fists and stamped a foot, which clanged on the steel, “You are worse than that damn Dominion.”

Adora hummed and shrugged then relaxed against the half finished wall, “Eh, we compliment each other. I was quite the  _ reserved _ one back in the day. Now… what’s the point? Live a little,” she eyed Glimmer, “And at least mommy would approve of this one? A CHERUB! So respectable!”

Glimmer glowered, “Like I  _ care _ .”

Adora sighed, “I… look I know you and I didn’t go anywhere Glim.”

The smaller demon shrugged, “I get it Adora. I’ve met… her. And, y’know what? I see it. I don’t need a Cherub’s flashy stone. It’s…. It’s like you two just  _ fit _ . Frankly I’m just glad we got there without you burning down the city. I get why you… didn’t settle.”

“It wouldn’t have been settling. It just wouldn’t have been  _ right _ . I knew that and… really… you do too. Also, you are kind of still free wheeling a  _ lot _ , Glim. You need someone to ground you too. And, let’s be honest, I’m not exactly the most stable right now.”

“But you’re focused. STRONG.  _ Powerful _ .”

“Psh. I mean, thanks for the flattery and all, but,” Adora rubbed the back of her neck and smiled ruefully, “Strength and power are useless without a direction to point them in.”

Glimmer nodded and looked back out at the skyline, “I um… put some summoning circles around town. Just some extras.”

The blonde demon nodded slowly and grimaced, “Necessary.”

“So you  _ do _ think it’ll be a double cross?”

“No, but I like to be  _ ready _ . We can plan all the outcomes, can’t counter them all… but we can have a few surprises,” mused Adora with a grumble, “I hope her plan works.”

“You think it won’t?”

“I think Light Hope isn’t  _ stupid _ . Aaaand if there is something unexpected, we can at least cause a bit more chaos. Catra’s plan just buys us time.  _ This _ could buy us a little more. So, let’s just hope Hordak pulls through,” she blew a breath out through her cheeks, “That’s a weird thing to be saying.”

“Hell yeah….. And… is that why we didn’t  _ tell _ them?”

Adora pursed her lips and looked up at Glimmer, “Kinda. I trust Catra…. The rest, not sold yet. We survived by being careful. By not trusting. Your Cherub and Catra are good, Frosta is good. Hell,  _ Triton _ is good. But all those mortals? Too many possibilities, too many variables. They can be compromised.”

Glimmer gave Adora a worried look, “And they same I’m the scary paranoid one.”

“Well, you are  _ scary _ focused. How many people have you even tempted, huh?”

“No point,” Glimmer shrugged, “Got bigger things to focus on,” she shifted uncomfortably, looking for a subject change, “Well, at least… Wrong is being more useful?”

“Don’t be harsh. He was… fine. When not spam ordering from Amazon.”

Glimmer snickered, “That  _ was _ funny though.”

“Five hundred jackets of lube delivered to a judge? Yeah… credit where it’s due,” Adora’s smirk was smug, “I swear that spambot isn’t as dumb as he makes himself out to be.”

She glanced down and fished her phone from a pocket as it chirruped. She pursed her lips and nodded. Glimmer tilted her chin back, then blinked away in a flash of pink glitter and reappeared on Adora’s beam, “What’s happening?”

“It’s Frank. Say’s the boys are ready to meet. Plus some of the Union guys too,” Adora arched her eyebrows approvingly, “Huh… interesting. Bet’s on infiltrators?”

Glimmer shrugged, “I reckon… five. One from some Federal agency, maybe two from the local police? And one from the vice lot?”

“And the fifth?”

“Oh some extremist bunch looking to agitate.”

Adora nodded, “Sounds about right. You’re learning! Buuuut we can use all that.”

Glimmer grinned and cracked her knuckles, “Oh yes. Yes we can.”

With a flourish, Adora vanished her phone back  _ somewhere _ in her outfit and straightened, “So, shall we?” Glimmer nodded and crooked her elbow. Adora chuckled and took the proffered arm,“Why thank you milady!”

“Careful, Catra might get jealous.”

“Psh. She knows you’re all over tall, dark and dorky.”

Glimmer flushed, “We… just met.”

“So? Like I said… live a little. Don’t make my mistake Glim. Please,” she smiled fondly at the other demon, “Now, let’s go? Cos I predict a riot….”

Glimmer cackled and the pair vanished in a flash of black and pink glitter.

\------------------

Bow cracked his neck and grimaced at the screen in front of him. He idly drummed his fingers on the keyboard and pursed his lips. The stream of images and data in front of him shifted again and again and he let a small sigh escape.

“Whatcha doing?”

Bow glanced to where Frosta was spinning on an office chair. He cracked a smile, “Making connections.”

“Huh?” Frosta frowned, then scooted closer. She peered at the screen and grimaced, “That’s a whole bunch of what?”

Bow leaned back, “It’s a mess, yeah. But it’s… data. Lots of data from Wrong Hordak, just… dumped. Entrapta and Hordak are wading through their pile. I asked to help.”   


Frosta snorted, “And what can you do that a demon AI and a certifiable genius can’t?”

The cherub gave a small smile, “Make connections.”

“You said that already,” huffed the diminutive angel.

“Yep. Entrapta and Hordak are great at spotting… commonalities; threads. Data points. But me? I know…  _ people _ . How d’ya think people fall in love?”

“You, uh, stick them with the pointy end of an arrow?” Frosta grinned. Bow just rolled his eyes.

“You can TRY. But there’s a… science to it. People are drawn to each other; they move in similar sphere’s. Sometimes all they need is a push. Sometimes they need to be drawn out of their shell. But you try to make two people fall in love, make a connection when there’s nothing there?”

Frosta blinked owlishly at him then shrugged, “They break up?”

“It can go a LOT worse. Normally, things work out for themselves; we only usually get involved if, y’know, a pairing NEEDS to happen… for good or bad,” he grimaced, “Never do  _ those _ ones… but apparently they’re necessary for some Seraph’s political plans down here. Not that they do that anymore.”   


“Seriously?” Frosta looked slightly alarmed, “You guys… do that?”   


Bow shook his head, “Used to do it loads more. Aphrodite was in charge of all that but kicked up a stink after the whole Troy debacle and Helen. That one… escalated.”

Frosta shuddered and nodded, “Oooooh yeah.”

_ “ANYWAY _ , I find the arrows are… well they work, but they’re not the best way. They’re compulsion, basically, a massive burst of energy and stimulant to various elements of a person’s soul… problem with that is that it can make things a bit more fragile. Or too strong. If you don’t  _ hit _ right, I mean. So I prefer to build connections. It takes longer with people, but letting souls find their own way… well, they form stronger bonds.”

“OH! Like in a forge!” Frosta clapped her hands and Bow frowned.

“Uh, what now?”

_ “She means the tempering of steel within a heated environment you bird-brained cretin,”  _ came Hordak’s growl from the computer speaker. Bow jumped a little then glard at the machine.

“Wow, you are… mean. Harsh much?”

“ _ I feel this is a fruitless line of enquiry. We are more than capable of accessing and validating the data. This level of arbitrary assessment serves no purpose and….” _

_ “WELLLLLL He does have a good point,”  _ chirruped Entrapta’s voice,  _ “As we have had a few false positives we can’t easily assign to our normal data values.” _

_ “Entrapta, this seems like a fruitless and pointless exercise to…” _

_ “Ah ah ah! Data is KEY. We can only discard data if we KNOW it is anomalous and doesn’t fit established patterns. And we can only do that if we, y’know, actually investigate and extrapolate. Also, we aren’t that great with the whole ‘people connection’ variables.” _

_ “....you make a compelling point.” _

Bow stared at the machine, then looked at Frosta, “Did… did Hordak just get  _ told _ by Emily?”

_ “I did not get…. AGH! Fine. Continue with your… connection exercise. I will dispatch further anomalous data to your terminal, may you be crushed to despair by the endless grind of…” _

Bow tuned out the irascible ranting and grinned, “Ok… false data, false positives… Wonder what that could be,” he gestured for Frosta to join him, “So, what I’m doing is looking at mentions of Micah - or similar. Strange, maybe Archangel-y like goings on. But this stuff is… things that are similar but discounted. So far, Hordak, Wrong Hordak and Emily haven’t found anything supernatural.”   


Frosta grimaced, “Yeah, tracks with the stuff from head office. Archangels aren’t SERAPHS but even Mermista can leave a big ol’ footprint when she wants to.”

“Which indicates Micah is either hiding or was taken somewhere.”

“Or was never on Earth,” offered Frosta. She dragged a spare laptop over and began to trawl through her own data, then glanced at Bow, “Shouldn’t you be… y’know, getting ready?”

Bow snorted, “Oh NOPE. Not getting in the middle of that. Better I’m here on the sidelines. In case things go south.”   


“Isn’t that what we’re here for, y’know?”

Bow looked at her with an arched eyebrow, “You were at the meeting right?”

“I mean… yeah. I take that seriously. But… I was listening for what  **I** had to do.”

“Ah, fair. Well, I’m… reserve. Keep any eye on the circle, advise if we get any uninvited guests… on  _ either _ side.”   


“You think Adora and Glimmer…?”

The cherub shook his head emphatically, “No. Those two…  _ nope _ . But I wouldn’t put it past any  _ other _ demons to be attracted. Those two have  _ survived _ by keeping down below happy and keeping off  _ our _ viewings. But I bet you anything Shadow Weaver has an eye on things  _ somehow _ . So, best be prepared to keep any guests off their backs. Hence Catra’s talk about  _ perimeters _ remember?”

Frosta slapped her head, “Duh, yeah, right… that makes sense. So, um… this is for their research?”

Bow nodded, “Getting a head start. Glimmer needs her dad, y’know? And Adora… well… that’s a whole other thing.”   


The Dverge squinted at him and smirked, “You got it baaaaad haven’t you?”

That made Bow pause. He stared into the middle distance for a moment then grinned widely, “Yep. Yes I  _ do _ .”

Frosta snorted, “Ugh, totally  _ not _ the reaction I was aiming for. Alright Mr Romance, what are we looking for?”

“Well… that’s the thing. Micah, basically… but anything that just feels off. Emily and Hordak have the big ticket stuff. We need to look at this and think… is there anything we missed? And angle we haven’t considered. If we rule out Earth, then what’s the  _ next _ step, y’know?”

They sat there and scrolled through the data - sightings, lookalikes, strange occurrences all from around the timestamp of Micah’s disappearance. Most of it he dismissed. Frosta tapped her chin and frowned, “Wait wasn’t Glimmer… pulled? Like, she felt a  _ pull _ right?”

Bow paused and looked at her, then folded his hands on top of the table. Around them, the magi bustled and prepared. Mermista’s voice drifted across the room as she spoke to the Brightmoon mayor, trying to convince him about a  _ lockdown _ . The Cherub frowned and twisted his mouth in thought.

“Yeah, that’s… hmmm. Something acting on the descent? Adora mentioned it too…. But could it have worked on an Archangel? I mean, it got Adora…”

“But Adora was, what… cursed?” Frosta rubbed her chin, “So, she was weakened. Glimmer was cast out… and probably not exactly all that strong. Far as I know, anyway. She’s older than me but a Seraph’s daughter? Probably a bit sheltered…”

Bow nodded, then scrolled through the data again, “So maybe he was knocked off course… or pulled somewhere else. Even if he  _ wasn’t _ weakened.”

“Yeah but… whoever did that would have to know he was leaving right?”

“No one knew  _ Adora _ was…. Glimmer maybe, if she was being banished…” Bow tapped his chin, “This makes no sense. Two angels… grabbed and dragged to hell. Right after leaving Heaven. Hey, Hordak…”

_ “What?” _

“Do you guys… keep an eye on Heaven? Try some sort of kidnapping scheme?”

“ _ Harness an angel at full power near the city itself? Pah, an impossibility. Even Shadow Weaver would not be so brazen.” _

“Ok… but what about ones  _ not _ at full power?”

There was a pause and when Hordak spoke again, it was with caution, “ _ It would be… doable. Very risky. And would require an inordinate amount of power. Such a spell, a summoning to pull an angel… it would require sacrifices, chaos. And even then, not guaranteed.” _

Bow felt close to something, “And you’d have to  _ know _ they were… there, right?”

_ “Yes, you need to visualise your target. Need to KNOW. To get a draw on the resonance, their very essence. Such information, such timing would have to be carefully mapped out.” _

“And a fully powered Archangel?”

_ “Not possible. To drag one to hell would practically require their consent. But a weakened one, a confused one? One without their defences? You could certainly disrupt them and drag them to another plane.” _

Bow nodded, “Thank you, Hordak… that’s useful.”   


_ “You… are…. You are welcome,”  _ grumbled the demon. The cherub grinned and Frosta rolled her eyes.

“So… somehow,  _ maybe _ , someone in Hell knew to grab Glimmer… Adora, well, she was cursed, so maybe she just  _ fell _ . But getting a curse like that into Heaven? That... that’s scary. Could Shadow Weaver do that?”

Frosta grimaced again, “Don’t see  _ how _ . She hates Angels, hates the Seraphs - thinks they’re weak for resisting her, right? None of them’d help her. And what does she gain?”

“Adora, for one,” mused Bow, “But then… if it’s her curse, why has she let Adora run riot up here? Not made her go completely beast and smash-tastic, y’know?”

“You’re getting the hang of talking up here, you know that?” smirked the Dverge. Bow winked.

“Why thank you. Gotta impress Glimmer somehow. So… first we need to establish if Micah is HERE. Then we can work out if he got yanked. Um… Hordak, Emily… those false positives…”

_ “Oh, yes. We dismissed those, they don’t fit the pattern. But if you want to look at them,”  _ Emily paused and her face appeared on the screen, her lips in faint pout, “ _ What are you thinking?” _

“Not sure yet. Anyway, why did you dismiss them?”

_ “Oh simple. Not archangel. No power levels. Mundane. People who maybe looked like Micah but didn't fit the profile.” _

“Just from this morning? Wow you work fast…”

_ “We are, you know, trying to be optimal! And Hordak likes to keep busy!” _

Frosta made a face and Bow waved at her with a snort, “Alright… we’ll keep worrying it from our side.”

They continued to work and Bow found himself growing frustrated. Catra was out, preparing; surveying the best sites for the fight and being  _ visible _ . They all knew the eyes of Heaven were upon them. But mostly on Catra. And the pressure was mad: they didn’t need some mortals getting caught up in this; they couldn’t defend themselves, they got so sidelined by angels and demons, nothing more than pawns or scenery or...

He paused, the inkling of an idea in his head. He frowned, “Huh… maybe… hiding. How do you hide… an archangel?”

He turned in his chair and regarded Frosta, who did a double take, “You got an idea, arrow man?”

“Maybe…. Hordak? Hordak?”

_ “BROTHER! I am afraid that Hordak is not available right now. He and Emily are indulging in something I believe is known as a coffee break. Condiments were mentioned. Though Emily did not mention her usual appetite for TINY things. Quite the opposite in…” _

_ “ _ OK! WONDERFUL! So, um… Wrong Hordak, right?”   
  
_ “CORRECT! Can I interest you in girls in your local area who…” _

“No. NOPE. Man, being on the internet did a number on you, didn’t it,” muttered Frosta. She gave Bow a helpless look, “Uh, maybe you can, like, help us a bit?”

_ “I did just offer…” _

“Uh more about Micah.”

_ “Oh, Mr Michael Moon, resident of Ohio since 1956, prior records unknown, was a teacher in classical philosophy at Columbus U. Died in 1970 _ .”

Bow sighed, “No, Wrong… I…” an image flashed up on the screen and Bow blinked. It was…

Micah.

_ “Also Miguel Luna, resident of Mexico City. Birth records non existent. Online history non existent due to late-stage data upload of files! HOWEVER, additional existing data files allow me to create a digital footprint of Mr Luna indicating he resided in the city between the years of 1962 to 1972. A body matching his description was found in 1973.” _

Another image - grainier.

Micah. Again.

_ “Matthias Mond, resident in Gutersloh, Germany. Teacher in a senior school during 1971 to 1979. Shot by Communist Agitators in 1982.” _

Micah.

More and more. Images flashed by. Bow sat back. Twenty individual Micah  _ lookalikes _ . Overlapping, but all dead. He frowned and bit his lip, “Wrong, wh...this is weird, right, not just me?”

_ “I was told to disregard as, well… they were dead. And they did not fit the patterns Mistress Glimmer designated! She wanted to find her Father. Clearly, these men were not her father. BUT They do match the parameters set for Micah in terms of personality, looks and overlapping interests!” _

Bow dragged his hand over his face and frowned, “And Entrapta knows about these?”

“ _ Again, Brother, these do not fit her mapped plan, nor Brother Hordak’s. They are outliers!” _

“So why share…”

_ “Because you did not specify a set of parameters! And also you wished for the outlier data!” _

Frosta was staring as well, then looked at Bow, “What… does this mean?”

“I have no idea… but I think we may have found… Micah,” he did  _ not _ look happy to say that.

\---------------------------------

Catra had spent the afternoon trying to  _ look _ like she was hunting. She could feel a strange sense of pressure on her and she knew that was the zero’d focus of the prayer room. She  _ knew _ Light Hope was waiting. Giving her the opportunity to either slip up or follow through. Which meant she had to be  _ extra _ on guard.

She was used to this - getting away with things had been a favoured pastime for Adora and her back in the day. Nothing  _ bad _ , but just… letting loose at times. It was easier for Heaven to watch the world when there were only a few million humans on it. Now… there wasn’t the interest, save for those select individuals Heaven wanted to groom for greatness.

All part of that damn Plan.

She was currently stood on a rooftop, tracing a rune of  _ seeing _ . It was mainly for show.

She knew exactly where Adora was. And not just because of the crazy, reckless plan they’d all concocted.

No, it was almost something deeper. She would’ve been able to point in the precise direction without looking. It’d have been like asking her to point at her foot.

The magi had been  _ fast _ with their work - various dampening runes were scattered across town; disruption spells, amplifiers, confusion spells, the whole lot. This town was about to become an absolute maelstrom of mostly harmless violence. But she still had to look like she was looking, play the part to  _ sell _ the idea.

She crouched and fished out the black feather Adora had given her that morning and placed it into the circle. The runes flashed and the whole thing burst into flame, the design scorched into the rooftop. A flash of invisible light arched from the circle and pointed to  _ exactly _ where Catra knew Adora to be already. She smirked.

“Found you.”

She fished her phone out of her pocket and dialled Mermista. Heaven was  _ very _ behind - they didn’t really understand phones. Yes they could hear her side of the conversation, as Heaven was focused on her, but they wouldn’t immediately guess who she was talking to. Such was the issue of how Heaven was managing its supposedly infinite focus…. If  _ she _ was in charge, well, she’d be shifting a LOT of things around. The thought amused her faintly, but also gave her a sense of sadness - a role Adora had never wanted, was now something that intrigued Catra. She felt guilty for that. But mainly because she now knew how much the idea of being  _ The Boss _ scared Adora. It wasn’t  _ freedom _ ; it didn’t allow her to be  _ her _ . It was chain as heavy as the universe itself. And Adora had never had a choice.

Catra had always had choices. She’d been carefree and  _ chosen _ to become a Duty focused Dominion. The leader of the 4th Chorus. Someone who’d slipped away from Adora as much as Adora had retreated. Adora, who had been slowly forced into that mold of figurehead.

By  _ Light Hope _ .

Light Hope, who Catra  _ knew  _ was hiding something. Yeah, she  _ could _ have believed Adora was killed; that the “demon” had obliterated Adora. But it just felt like a lie to Catra.

She was a Dominion, after all. She  _ knew _ lies. Just like she  _ knew _ Adora had told her the truth, confusing as it was.

“Hey, Mermista. You were right, the rune’s found the creature. Truly, you do know your way around this mudball.”

Yeah she was hamming it up. But then, Light Hope was expecting an aloof, insincere Dominion who just wanted the job done. Catra could play that.

_ “Wow, overacting much. Right, your… target is currently leading a protest moving through the suburbs. Police cordons at the edge of the CBD. Uhhh think that’s the best place.” _

“In public? Really?”

_ “You really are playing it up, huh?” _

“You think it wise in the middle of so many mortals?”

_ “Blah blah, collateral, yadda yadda, oh no! DEMONS,”  _ Mermista snickered - clearly she was getting into this a bit further than she’d wanted to admit,  _ “This is… y’know kinda fun. Mermystery!” _

“Your input, as ever, is oh so valuable,” drawled Catra. She just about suppressed an eye roll, “Very well, you are correct, we must render assistance, lest the demon slay the brave human protectors of  _ justice _ .”

She heard Mermista snort down the phone and kept her face straight, “ _ Wow. You missed your calling. Maybe after this we’ll get you on Sea Hawks streaming channel. You can be the straight girl to his disaster ass.” _

“Again, insightful, albeit useless, Archangel. I will face her alone, without support. For now. Be ready, in case. Signal Light Hope, should I fall.”

_ “Do you need some backing music?” _

Catra grit her teeth and hung up. She closed her eyes, exhaled, then took a running leap from the building. Her wings snapped open and she soared across the city/

_ Show time _ .

\----------------------------

To be honest, they’d been  _ waiting _ for this moment. The whole group had been itching, raring to go. They’d been ready that day when Catra and Bow had crashed the venue - that had thrown a minor spanner in the works; but now? Now it was almost like fate - that they’d been so close. And now, instead of causing chaos with the hope of grasping at straws, they could actually, genuinely make some  _ progress _ .

And shake up the status quo, of course.

The procession was fairly sizeable - a lot of the city;s student population, coupled with blue collar workers and the lower paid, minority elements of the city were out in force - a real flashmob. It had only taken a few text messages, a few calls. Adora’s initial meetings, her  _ call to arms _ … well, it spread.

Five thousand people, with more joining,, all in procession. Pre-made banners, impromptu brass bands and a flanking escort of bikers to counter the police intimidation.

Adora’s original plan had just been to set it lose, maybe get in on some anti-establishment  _ violence _ . Show a hint of the beast and give Brightmoon a good, old fashioned black eye.

But now? Now she was going to make this fight  _ look good _ . She knew Catra would too.

Glimmer, who was walking alongside her, flanked by the various representatives of Unions, student bodies, charity groups and other interested parties, glanced at her with a frown, “You look awfully  _ keen _ .”

Adora’s grin was all teeth, a half smirk that showed a bit of fang, “It’s date night. I’m looking forward to seeing my girl.”

“You saw her  _ six hours ago _ Adora.”   


“Yep. Too long.”

Glimmer snorted with faint derision, then tilted her chin to point ahead. The pavements on either side were flanked with people - those not involved, but still curious. Rapidly deployed police had cordoned off side roads, forcing the protest down the main avenues. Media were out in force and, despite it being late afternoon, people were pouring out to watch.

Chants against corporate wage slavery, about gentrification, about political exclusion echoed from the march. Some of the bystanders caught up with it and punched the air. Others jeered and catcalled. Adora closed her eyes and grinned. She’d gone for a  _ normal _ look - Glimmer blended in fairly well with her  _ biker-chic _ look. But Adora was extreme. So, she’d gone for a more  _ normal _ look - Red leather jacket, white polo neck and dark grey trousers. She looked like any other working stiff; almost a soccer mom, really.

Who was she kidding - she wasn’t anywhere  _ near _ as vicious…

The procession drew to a halt in one of the larger squares in the City centre - not near Catra’s impromptu headquarters; no this square was flanked by a museum and mostly  _ touristy _ artefacts. Which suited the protesters - what better place to object to the change of the city than the slow historical decline and shift to  _ services _ rather than industry.

Police flanked the square and blocked roads. Other protest groups, Adora knew, were moving into the CBD, to occupy areas near the banks and offices. She smiled as she saw a man step out from the police line. He wore a dull grey suit and looked  _ frazzled. _ Glimmer chuckled and leaned over to Adora, “Oh look, they send out the Organ Monkey.”

“Don’t be mean,” chided Adora, half heartedly. Glimmer just shrugged.

“I know. That’s  _ your _ job.”   


Adora shrugged then watched as the Union reps stepped forwards. This was  _ their  _ fight. As ever, she liked to hang back, let the emotions she’d stirred, those repressed resentments and unbalanced scales tip things towards either peaceful resolution or…. Chaos.

Usually chaos. Humans were still rather crap at rational debate. Over two thousand years since Greece and  _ still _ the same arguments.

There was a quiet exchange and the dull suited man was gesticulating wildly. Words like  _ illegal assembly _ and  _ no permits _ and  _ warrants _ .

The media were circling, so Adora  _ relaxed _ a little and let her influence creep out. She allowed her anger, her resentment to creep in at the edges. She felt her eyes shift ever so slightly. Glimmer adjusted her stance and hissed, “Already?”

“Just stirring the pot,” murmured Adora. She smiled thinly as the brown suited man flung his hands up and stalked back to the police line. Behind them, the protesters had begun to sing; a disjointed chord of liberty and equality. Also, variations on  _ We shall, we shall not be moved _ .

There was a sudden rush of air and Adora couldn’t help but grin. She had to stop herself bouncing on the balls of her feet.

Catra stood among the police, many of whom were jostling, impatient. Adora could  _ feel _ their eagerness. Some of them just wanted to  _ wade in _ . She smelt their anger, could feel that unbridled, irrational  _ hate _ . It had no real source, no real reason - just that they felt  _ challenged _ . That they saw these protesters as  _ ungrateful _ . It wasn’t all of them; but humans were herd animals - they’d respond to the consensus, go along with it and rationalise afterwards.

Of course, she knew some in the crowd behind her just wanted madness; anarchy. But it wasn’t as strong. That sense of injustice, of unfairness was stronger.

She watched as  _ her _ Catra stepped away from the police line to join the brown suit. There was a quiet exchange and the man seemed to visibly calm - so did the reps from the protesters side. Adora smirked  _ So we’re starting like that, huh? _

She rolled her shoulders and cocked her head to smile at the white-suited angel.

Catra didn’t look at her, but her voice carried, “These catspaws aren’t who you want to talk to, Mr Devon. I know - I represent a more… _ senior _ branch. We know who to engage on this,” she looked at the protester leads, “Where is your ringleader.”

Adora flexed her power again and a wave of  _ emotion _ rolled across the closer humans. The protesters started shouting, yelling insults at the cops, shouting for  _ fairness _ , for  _ entitlement _ . Catra blinked and couldn’t help but shoot a  _ What the heck? _ Look at Adora. The demon maintained an innocent expression and then began to chant with the protesters.

Catra folded her arms in a  _ So it’s going to be like that, huh _ sort of way. Adora linked arms with people beside her and began to sway, chanting away.

“Her,” Catra pointed straight at Adora, “She’s the agitator. Our… department knows she has several links to known criminal agencies and intends for this protest to destabilise the good order of Brightmoon.”

Adora leaned her head back and began to shout the words out. She felt Glimmer slip back into the crowd, part of the original plan from Catra - have Glimmer create more confusion and chaos. Prevent Heaven getting a bead on Adora. And also make them think that Adora had powers that were  _ not _ part of the Heir to Mara’s normal skillset.

The small group was slowly devolving into another argument. Around the edges of the protest people were getting feisty, yelling and shouting.

A small group of police officers detached from the main group and advanced. Catra raised an eyebrow in Adora’s direction and the demon sighed _._ _ Fine .  _

_ No long term damage. _

One of the men grappled for her. She resisted, as did others beside her.

Then an officer raised his baton and swung it  _ at her head _ .

Adora caught it.

And bent it.

The policeman, his face obscured by a black balaclava, stared at her. His eyes were wide, pupils blown by adrenaline. His lips curled in shock and rage and surprise.

She headbutted him.

His visor  _ shattered  _ and he went sprawling backwards. The other police had a rather mixed response - two backed away in shock - the third started swinging his baton like a man possessed. He wasn’t, Adora knew that. And she also knew he wasn’t reacting to  _ her _ .

He was being a  _ human _ .

She acted like any mortal would and cowered away as he flailed at her. Then she turned and brought her fist up in a brutal uppercut that laid the man out. Her blood began to rise and she had to push the beast down. Another wave of anger rolled from her and the crowd nearest her surged forwards. She felt Catra’s own aura push back, dampen the worst.  _ Good _ .

These people were pawns already. And Adora felt the first smidgen of guilt. But it wasn’t a  _ strong _ \- she merely amplified what these people wanted. She had given them a  _ choice _ . What they did with that…. All on them.

She growled, readying for the first strike.

Then a gunshot sounded and the crowd descended into chaos. Protesters charged the police line. There was the crack and hiss of tear gas canisters being fired. A line of police surged forwards only to be met by a cohort of bikers -goggles on and bandanas around their faces. Changes, crowbars and bats met plastic shields.

For a moment, the scene flashed to a field beyond Athens - a group of hoplites having broken another phalanx; the ordered push and pull of combat now nothing more than a brawl.

Adora flexed her fingers and resisted the call of her blade. It wanted  _ out _ . But she wouldn’t let it. Not yet. Instead she barreled onwards and bowled aside the police who had foolishly broken from the line. She saw Catra haul Mr Brown Suit away - Devon, or something? Likewise, she pushed her group back as well.

“So, little miss prissy found me, huh?” Adora fell into her role of  _ hellspawn _ happily. Acting had never been her strong suit. But bantering with Catra? That she could do.

“You wore her face, worm. I’ll make you pay,” growled Cata.

“What? Still oh so lonely? Maybe I can show you a good time instead?” Adora knew that was a bit… close to the bone. But Angels would expect cruelty. And she needed Catra a  _ little _ bit upset.

The Dominion cocked her head and twitched. Adora raised her hands, palm up and gave a subtle, reassuring wink to her  _ mate _ . Catra blew out a breath, “You are under arrest. Come quietly.”

Around them, chaos was the order of the day. Smoke swirled around them - a sea of calm amidst brawling police and emboldened, angry protesters. It was a mess. But it wasn’t  _ bad _ . A police officer fell but two protesters pulled him to his feet and pushed him back to the police lines. A man fell, his head streaming blood from a baton strike. The officer was hauled back by his colleagues who were bellowing angrily at the policeman for his stupidity, whilst a medic dashed out and cleared a space.

A flash of light across the buildings showed that flashbangs were being deployed. Adora surveyed all this and smirked, “Enjoying my party?”

“Make this foolishness stop.”

“What, out of juice pretty little thing? Not got enough in the tank? Well, it’s been fun  _ distracting _ you… but I’ve got places to be, people to  _ corrupt _ .”

Catra flung her arm out and a golden whip shot forth. Adora brought her arms up and caught the whip. The holy energy sizzled against her skin. It didn’t hurt  _ that _ much, but she made a show of hissing in pain and throwing the line away. She stumbled back and gave a look of  _ shock _ at Catra. The Dominion strode forwards, the gas flowing around her like mist, her white suit illuminated in the fading afternoon light, “Yield and be banished to your pit. Resist and be  _ obliterated. _ ”

Adora smiled and met Catra’s eyes. There was a hunger there. A desire. It matched Adora’s.

The demon lunged, her hand grasping at a discarded baton. Her disguise flowed away like oil, revealing Adora’s true form as she swung the weapon. Catra flexed her whip, which hardened into a quarterstaff, and blocked Adora’s strike. The demon leaned forwards and grinned, “Hey, now you mention it, maybe this face  _ is _ better? Remind you of someone? Old times maybe? Did you  _ lose someone special _ ?”

The mockery hurt her; she knew it probably wasn’t great for Catra either. But they both knew Heaven couldn’t guess that this was  _ really _ Adora. The Dominion snarled and shoved back.

“Obliteration it is, hellspawn.”

“Bring it, kitty cat,” Adora smiled and rolled her shoulders. Her horns erupted and her form flowed with black flames - blue might be  _ too _ on the nose. In her hand the baton melted and reformed into a hooked blade, which she swung experimentally.

Then, without a word, they charged each other.

Battle was joined.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everyone, thank you for your patience. This was supposed to be out Tuesday but GDOCS ate half of it. So, had to rewrite and try to remember things.
> 
> Left it for a day as I wasn't too happy with trying to recapture it, but I think i've got it back!
> 
> We're going to see more of Adora's perspective now, as I think we've all earned it.
> 
> And yes, she's girlishly happy around Catra.
> 
> Comments, feedback and thoughts are ALWAYS appreciated


	22. A body in motion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The battle to preserve the soul is a tough one.
> 
> Heaven clearly is taking no chances.
> 
> But this is all just foreplay.

A fist fight is an ungainly mesh of flesh and bone; a brawl between two finite things. A duel between experienced swordsmen is a thing of practised flashing beauty; the back and forth of experience, ever movement akin to the placement of a chess piece. A battle between armies can mesh somewhere between the two.

These things are as nothing compared to the fight between two metaphysical beings of (near) limitless power.

A fight takes place in the physical; a duel takes place on the mental as the duellists try to out plan one another; a  _ battle _ takes place across all levels as soldiers fight in the trenches and the commanders try to outmanoeuvre each other, the environment and  _ time _ .

A fight between celestial creatures went a bit above that.

And, frankly, if the two had really let loose, it would have made a few nuclear powered nations hand the keys to the nuclear codes over and call it a day.

But of course, one of these beings was trying  _ not _ to be seen as the near limitless being of cosmic power (With a  _ slightly _ inconvenient handicap); whilst the other didn’t really  _ want _ to hurt the person she was (she now admitted to herself) utterly and hopelessly in love with.

That didn’t mean it wasn’t  _ spectacular _ . Both on a physical and metaphysical level.

Around them it was a brawl - the police line had shifted from a thin blue wall of domestic preservation into a charge. The rioters had matched it and were hurling back tear-gas canisters and rocks. Police were on the floor, rolling and jabbing and roaring with feral, righteous indignation. Civilians laid in with clubs and fists and feet.

And the celestial beings danced around one another, a ballet that only they knew the moves to. To watch from the perspective of a human was to see two people who were somehow a blur, their movements a neat exchange of practised back and forth that didn’t  _ look _ practised - too fast to follow, too filled with intent.

To watch them as a being with  _ sight beyond sight _ \- to see into the immaterial? You could see the waves of light and darkness that oozed and flowed. The dark swamping the humans around them, driving them to rage and roar; the light washing them clean but filling them with cold and focused fury. The two sides were extensions of these beings. And they looked like they were giving their all.

At the periphery of combat, runes glowed and sizzled, siphoning off the excess, dampening the rage and ruin blasted out by these two titans. Across town, as the waves of raw emotion crackled out from this epicentre, other circles glowed with light only visible to certain beings… or very specific spectrometer machinery. The excess of hellish and heavenly energies drained away, grounded to prevent the chaos from becoming  _ too much _ .

Just as planned.

And it made Adora look less like a harbinger of the next apocalypse and more like a mid tier demon. And it made Catra look like she was trying to minimise casualties. That last one was at least  _ true _ . She didn’t particularly  _ want _ to level Brightmoon, after all.

Of course, Adora was having a harder time holding back her own particular demon. Considering she was nearly  _ all _ demon, that was proving an incredible challenge.

Catra ducked back as a black-edged dagger sliced through the air. Her body burned from the dance, muscles (She actually  _ had _ muscles she NOTICED now) aching from their fight - they’d been going for twenty minutes. A gap had formed in the square, an unconsciously created arena. She eyed her opponent and saw Adora wincing as she forced the Beast down again. Catra had to cover.

“What’s the matter, monster? The strain getting to you?”

Adora grinned, a glassy expression, “Awww kitty, you sound disappointed? Didn’t know you were this eager to play with this face!”

Catra had to hand it to her - Adora was digging deep, getting that venom out there. She didn’t really have to fake the snarl as she cracked her golden whip out, which made Adora stagger backwards. Catra hauled her arm back as, in the immaterial, on another plane, a wave of golden light sharper than a razor streaked towards Adora’s being. In the real Adora went into a defensive stance. In the immaterial, the glowing black  _ thing _ that was Adora created a disc of blue flame that deflected the wave of razor-light.

Adora-as-she-had-been would’ve simply cast it aside. But Adora-pretending-to-be-a-lesser-demon had to pretend. So, in the immaterial, the blue shield guttered and faded. The black-morass shuddered. In the Real, several lamp-posts exploded as Adora redirected the strike - it looked (to an observer) as if she’d  _ only just _ knocked it away. The physical Adora buckled and staggered backwards, then snarled.

“Lucky shot.”

“I’m just full of surprises, pit spawn…” Catra surged forwards again, her wings a ghostly golden glow behind her. She halted and cast her whip out, the tip striking Adora’s daggers, which she’d hauled up to block the blow. The energy Catra sent down the whips-length  _ was _ a surprise.

The blast sent the crowd around them to the floor, the flash of golden dust that rose like a dome blinding a few momentarily. Adora flew backwards and slammed into the side of a car, which buckled under the impact. She slumped and groaned, whilst the crowd around the square staggered, frozen and confused. The display of Holy Power had dispersed the inky black of demonic influence. Adora looked up, her groggy expression only partially faked, whilst Catra strode across the expanse between them.

The demon looked almost comical, arms splayed as if she were lounging in a chair. A chair made up of a bent car. Adora leaned forwards and spat, the black globule hissing against the tarmac, “That was a cheap shot.”

“It was a  _ winning _ shot. Give up. Yield and your banishment will be swift.”   


“Heh, don’t kid. I  _ know _ you’re going to consign me to the void. It’s what you glowy assholes  _ always _ do. I bet you’ve got someone holding your leash, ready to bring the axe down. Don’t lie, fluffy…”

There was real venom there, but Catra  _ knew _ Adora wasn’t directing it at her, “Very well…” Catra drew back her whip, unsure what Adora’s next move was going to be. They hadn’t exactly rehearsed how all this would play out, beyond setting up the failsafes, the power siphoning runes and… some vague idea that they had to “make it look good.”

Adora grinned at her. Then she lurched forwards, rolled and hefted the car with one arm. She moved in a fluid motion and over-armed the vehicle right  _ at Catra _ .

The Dominion squeaked in surprise - they’d been going for  _ subtle _ . Immaterial attacks, weird metaphysical assaults and obscured displays of Celestial power that the humans wouldn’t see. A flying  _ car _ was harder…

She reacted instantly, her whip cracking forwards. The car split down the middle, and the two halves pinwheeled away, their physical form dissolved into floating golden motes as the holy power destroyed their very essence. Adora grinned, “Knew you’d be going all  _ disintegration _ on me. Surprised you can do it to this face though.”

Catra balked as Adora drew one of the knifes to her cheek and sliced, so slowly, drawing a bead of blood from the skin. She stared in horror at  _ her _ demon.

There was selling it. And there was  _ selling _ it. She was shocked.

So shocked she had to blink and dive as Adora threw the other blade at her. Catra barely moved in time, then felt her body double over as Adora closed the distance to deliver a heavy-handed punch to her gut. Adora bent down and when she spoke, her voice was a wince of a whisper, “SORRY! Sorry, I’ll make it up to you later. Promise… Um..”

Catra groaned, then straightened and flung her arm up in an uppercut that sent Adora into a backflip. As Adora hung in the air, Catra spun and delivered a roundhouse kick that hit with such force the windows in the office buildings around them  _ exploded _ from the compressed shockwave.

Adora flew into a storefront and smashed through the building’s rear wall. Catra ran, abandoning the melee of the protest, the influence already fading around them as the humans came to their senses and regarded the carnage. She could tell there were no deaths. But a fair bit of physical harm. The thought made her shift guiltily, but she had bigger priorities.

From her periphery she saw a few figures also detach from the group, ostensibly moving in parallel to her. She couldn’t quite tell what that was about, but her warrior’s sense knew that it was likely  _ trouble _ .

She vaulted the building, clearing it easily, and landed in the empty lot behind the store. She took in the rubble, the smoldering embers of demonic flame. But no Adora, “Come out… hellspawn.”

Her voice faltered - was this part of the plan?

Catra’s sense twitch and she rolled forwards as a metal piece of rebar swung over her head. Or where her head would have been. She came up, whip spinning like a flail. Adora stood there, clothes torn and ragged, body bruised. Her head held high.

Catra fell in love all over again.

Adora’s gaze caught hers and the blonde had to hide the smirk, instead going for a forced cough. She even added a  _ slightly _ exaggerated sway, “Lucky shot.”

“I make my own luck.”

“Oh, we’re doing one liners?  _ Peachy _ ,” Adora sneered, “Always gotta have the last word. Tell you what, surrender, I’ll go easy on you. I’ll even tell you where  _ Adora _ is…”

The demon glanced to her side  _ meaningfully _ . Catra let her own gaze flicker. She could see a figure at the edge of the building, a few dozen yards away - brown trenchcoat. Incongruous. But also  _ staring _ at them. Catra looked up past Adora. Another one on the roof behind Adora.

Light Hope really didn’t want this demon getting out alive, regardless of whether it was Adora or not.

This complicated things. By a metric  _ fuck _ tonne. But Adora just grinned. That made Catra pause. She adjusted her stance, “So… she’s alive?”

The hope in her voice was, she hoped, believable. Her surprise wasn’t hard to fake - this wasn’t in the script. They hadn’t had a script. They’d assumed a quick fight, some flashy light show and then she’d make a report to Light Hope on “ _ Following up on potential accomplices” _ . But the Seraph clearly wanted to make sure.

But only  _ two _ ? If she’d thought this was Adora… where was the entire of Heaven’s Garrison?

Unless Light Hope thought this was just a “gutter demon”? Or maybe she hadn’t got all that much sway? Not that many of the Century who were aligned to her?

Catra shifted again - this was why she  _ hated _ politics. She could deal with strategy, hunting,  _ chasing _ . But politics was a  _ pain _ .

She saw the figure on the roof move, the trenchoat flapping aside to reveal a short sword that glowed like the sun. Catra dove for Adora and tackled her, just as the figure leapt down to swipe at Adora’s back. They rolled and Catra made a show of trying to grapple the demon. Adora snarled and hissed, her look of confusion genuine. It shifted to realisation as she saw the new arrival cast aside the trenchoat, to reveal shimmering silver armour.

The Century drew back their sword, “Dominion Catra, stand aside, we can take her!”

“The right is MINE!”   


“She will deceive you!” shouted the other angel, “We cannot risk it!”

Catra laid a punch across Adora’s face, the impact dazing the demon, “You think me so weak to fall for such parlour tricks from a minor demon?”

The Century paused. And that was  _ all _ the confirmation Catra needed. She looked up at the Angel.

They  _ knew _ .

They  _ knew _ Adora lived.

But they were not sure this was her. The hesitation from the Century was testament to that.

She heard the thump of other feet and saw the second angel approaching. This one shifted as they ran, revealing a humanoid figure with bullhorns. Catra snorted as she recognised Asterius. A minor Century, he had been promoted after being ‘defeated’ by Theseus. He wasn’t the  _ brightest  _ spark - a follower, more than a leader. It made sense he was in with a Seraph. Ascended Mythics - that made sense. They tended to be slavishly loyal to their _patrons_.

She looked between the two as Adora struggled, then looked down at the demon, “Light Hope really must think little of me that she sends a pair of  _ Century’s _ to aid me in vanquishing a paltry shade.”

The two angels shared a look, then took a tentative step forwards. Adora glared up at Catra and smile thinly, “Awww, no honour from the Dominion? Not surprised. But guess what?”

Catra frowned, “What?”

“I brought my own posse  _ too _ !”

The angels stopped. Adora flexed and a sudden wind howled across the city. Catra  _ felt _ the shift in the air and stared at Adora, “ _ Portals _ ?”

“YEP! Knew you pigeons would be along. Contingency. I may not be able to take you down… but I can mess a load of shit up.”   


The Century’s shared a panicked glance, “An invasion?! THE end times?” their gazes fixed on Adora as they seemed to be considering the implication. Adora tilted her head back, looking at them upside down. It revealed her throat to Catra who had to suppress a shudder and an  _ urge _ to bite and lick.

Adora regarded the two of them, “Huh. You look  _ familiar _ . Do  _ I _ look familiar?” the angels froze again and Adora smiled, “Ohhhh you think I might be some scary fallen angel, riiiiight? Fancy finding out? Or maybe you want to y’know… try out being  _ fallen _ for a bit, hmmm?”

Catra squeezed Adora’s wrists and growled. She felt a wave of possessiveness roil through her, but channeled it into something that looked like holy indignation, “Silence your tongue, temptress. You will not sway those loyal to Mara. Even though you wear her beloved daughter’s face, you blasphemer!”

Adora  _ giggled _ , “Can’t blame a girl for trying,” then she rolled her hips. Catra, straddling the demon, swallowed  _ hard _ . The two Century’s looked even more perplexed and Catra glared at them.

“Well? Aren’t you going to stop the demonic incursion?”

“Um we… she…”

“Is well in hand and about to be  _ banished _ . Be off with you! Save the mortals! Who knows what foul beings spill forth to wreak havoc!”

As if in answer, a shadowy  _ thing _ sprinted into the lot and skidded to a halt. All four beings froze and stared at it.

It was a dog.

A dog with a squid for a head.

It’s frame was bunched muscle and ragged black fur, five foot at the shoulder. The head was a vibrant black and gold of writhing tentacles and a beaked maw. It sighted on the Century’s and opened its tentacled mouth to emit a warbling howl. Then it charged.

The sword wielding Century turned to face it. And was blindsided as another portal flared to existence next to him and a  _ second _ hound emerged. It took him in the shoulder, tentacles engulfing his head. He went down, writhing, as his sword clattered across the lot. Asterius bellow and charged the other beast, his head knocking the hell-hound away.

Catra blinked, then felt herself shoved  _ hard _ . Adora was on her feet and she kicked the heavenly sword away whilst the Century on the floor wrestled with the hellhound. Catra glared at the demon. Adora just winked and said, “Catch me if you can!”

She ran, then scrambled up the side of a building, her fingers digging in. Catra growled, then kicked the hellhound off of the Century. The angel was scarred, the dark heat of hell having scaled his face. He stared at her in shock. Catra sneered at him, “Can’t even tackle a hellhound and Light Hope expected you to handle an  _ intelligent _ demon? Go and help the mortals, as your station befits.”

And with that, she was off to give chase.

She had to hand it to Adora - it was  _ convincing _ . Though she was concerned the demon hadn’t clued her in. At least it had made her look good to the interlopers. But it did mean that Light Hope was willing to take a more active role. That Light Hope was definitely aware of  _ something _ .

And that the Seraph was willing to take risks to hide it.

She ascended the side of the building and barely had time to react as a hand grasped her collar. She was spun and slammed into the side an AC unit. Lips met hers and a warm body pressed against her.

Adora broke the kiss and flashed an apologetic smile. Catra blinked in a daze, “Wha...what was that for?”

“For punching you.”

“Uhhh.. I did put you through a building.”   


“Because I let you,” grinned the demon.

“And….” but Adora interrupted her with another searing kiss. Catra’s mind went blank  _ again _ .

“And that was for not telling you about the demon portals. Needed you to be as surprised though, babe.”

“B...Babe?”

“Yes. Mine,” Adora growled the word and looked about, “Oh and don’t worry. I’ve got an obfuscation ward up. The demon summoning should also be playing merry well…  _ hell _ … with heaven’s observation.”

“Demon summoning…” Catra managed to focus and shook herself, “They could cause some  _ serious _ damage.”

Adora laughed, “DUH! But.. .no… we carved the runes with  _ instructions _ . They’re going to scare some people, spread some chaos… and they  _ will _ target any angels in the city.”

Catra stared at her, “You knew they’d…”

The demon smiled at her, “We had contingencies - a few already set up. Before we knew it was  _ you _ . And… in case things went sideways. But I knew someone up there would try  _ something _ . And if you weren’t involved…”

That stung a little, “You didn’t trust me…”

Adora stepped close again and Catra found her gaze captured by those blue pools, “I’m here. Now. Within striking distance. You could end me. Read into that, Catra. I don’t trust  _ heaven _ . I wasn’t sure a few days ago about you. So, what do you think  _ now _ ? I needed you  _ surprised _ . I won’t apologise for that.”   


The Dominion stared at Adora then huffed, “I don’t like surprises.”

The blonde grinned then nuzzled her nose, “Ok. Well, I guess I won’t  _ surprise _ you with anything unexpected.”

“Good, be-” and Adora silenced her with another kiss. A tongue trailed along her lower lip and Catra moaned. Adora slid her tongue inside and they clung to one another for a moment longer, before Adora pulled back with a smirk.

“But you’re ok with that kind of surprise?”

Catra groaned, “Just… I….”

“Ah ah ah…. We have to finish  _ this _ … before I finish…  _ you _ ,” the look on Adora’s face would have probably started the fire of the Library of Alexandria by itself. The angelic-cat blinked and nodded firmly. Adora winked, then cocked her fist back dramatically. Catra ducked and the whole AC unit smashed off the rooftop to tumble to the street below.

The Dominion darted away and swung her whip around like a flail, tracing a figure eight in their air. She spun and cracked it at Adora, the golden light burning a groove into the concrete of the rooftop. The demon charged but fell back as the whip cracked again. In the immaterium, energy flashed towards Adora’s soul which she made a great showing of deflecting. On a nearby rooftop, a transformer box exploded in a shwoer of sparks and the building was plunged into darkness. Around the city columns of light flashed and flared as other angels revealed themselves, locked in combat with the swarm of hellhounds.

Another strike, as Adora lunged with a dagger of burning obsidian. A segment of the roof’s edge exploded. Below, as the immaterial energies duelled and the other-selves of Adora and Catra sparred, the energy flashed off, The Dominion deflecting the  _ second _ metaphysical assault. A tree screamed in pain and twisted from a noble spruce into a gnarled shape like something from  _ Sleepy Hollow _ .

Another lunge. Another wave of roiling hell-and-heaven energy. A car exploded, twisted into the form of a man reaching for the sky. Another blast and a couple in a building nearby fell on each other, ripping at clothes and each other with barely restrained lust. An act that would have their respective spouses very traumatised later.

A figure clambered over the edge of the building - another Century. Catra arched an eyebrow but knew Adora was already aware of the intruder. Catra flashed her whip out and Adora dodged. The weapon struck the angel who shrieked in surprise and promptly exploded into golden dust. Silver armour clattered to the floor and Catra grimaced - one angelic being was likely now nursing a bruised ego at the gates to paradise.

Adora charged her again and smashed her back into another AC unit. She delivered a winding blow to Catra’s midriff then spun and ducked a second blow from  _ another _ angel. Adora’s arm shot out and clipped the Century in the throat. The angel, unused to the Real and to having a more corporeal form blinked in shock at the sudden register of  _ pain _ and the body’s instinctive reaction to a lack of air.

Which allowed Adora to plunge her blade into the Angel’s thigh. Black, oily fire blossomed and the angelic being shrieked and tumbled over the building’s edge. He flashed out of existence, the fight-or-flight instinct of the body triggering his retreat back to the safety of the Golden City.

Adora laughed, a harsh bark, then turned to see Catra charge her.

Catra ducked a swing, then tackled Adora, the momentum enough to carry them off the edge of the building. Catra let her wings unfurl and beat them hard, carrying the demon up. In the night sky clouds boiled together as their energies clashed and fought. Adora was breathing hard and the horns on her head flared with blue flame. She fixed her stare on Catra, “You better end this quick angel. Can’t afford to let me loose.”

The words sounded menacing, but Catra knew the warning there - Adora was likely struggling, even with the siphons and failsafes they had in place. The magi were likely working full time to drain things.

Catra nodded and they made a show of pummelling and grappling. They spun in the air and lightning flashed about them. A bolt struck the pair and they screamed for the joy of it, then tumbled from the sky. Catra smiled with such fierce joy as they fell, her mind a blur, jolted by the bolt of energy. Above her, Adora trailed, hands on Catra’s biceps. Catra could make out the black, ghosted outline of Adora’s wings.

_ So beautiful. _ Blonde hair cascaded behind the demon, an unholy halo of brightness against the black of her clothes, the obsidian curl of her horns. Blue eyes gazed her with such fierceness it scared her. Adora smiled and nodded.

Catra reached up, grabbed the demon and spun them in the air. They tumbled, rolled and then Catra managed to settle above her. She met Adora’s eyes and muttered a series of words in Enochian.

Below, the plaza loomed. A sigil flared to life dead centre - a banishment rune. Adora gripped tighter. Catra leaned forwards and touched they foreheads. She swallowed and whispered, “Stay.”

Adora grinned, but there was a hint of worry, “Only if you get this right.”   


The Dominion managed a faint smile, “If  _ Sparkles _ gets it right.”

The ground loomed. And then several things happened.

They hit. There was a flash of light and the release of celestial energy that blasted the air around the run out like a cannon blast. Any unbroken windows shattered. The just-recovered crowd tumbled over once more. Every single electrical device in the city shut down or exploded. Several gas mains detonated, sending columns of flame and man-hole covers into the air.

Adora vanished in a shriek of blue flame as soon as the pair impacted the rune. Which flashed with arcane golden light and burned itself into the paving.

Catra panted and stared, panic suddenly suffusing her being.

Then she saw the faint motes of pink and black glitter and grinned with relief.

Silence descended as the wave of banishment energy slammed the door on all the portals across the city; the magi, in the tower, would likely be casting countering spells and exorcisms for the rest of the night; the other angels in the city likely trying to withdraw, to retain something of their pride. The ever present sense of being  _ watched _ receded. Then was gone.

No. Not quite. The dominion frowned and looked up. She saw a face in the crowd, briefly. A name floated at the edge of her memory. A mortal name. Jake? Jacob? Son of Jack?

But the face was gone and her dazed mind tried to reconcile the past hours worth of sheer  _ intensity. _

She’d expended a lot, even with just play fighting - holding back took a  _ lot _ of effort. And even then they hadn’t held back  _ much _ . She knew the town was likely in chaos - unintended, yes. But at least it was still  _ intact _ and not a nuclear blast crater.

Catra slumped on the pavement and exhaled. She felt  _ exhausted. _ She shook her head and looked up again. Around her she saw confused faces as mortals tried to make sense of the view - a woman in a tattered white suit, kneeling over a crater in the plaza into which was burned an etched rune.

She grinned at the crowd, “Rough night, huh?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PHEW. This one was tricky (Again) as I wanted the flow to feel right. And wasn't sure whether to keep things just between them, but realised we need to see the angels being... suspicious. And ACTING suspicious.
> 
> Remember, Light Hope in canon isn't... particularly CUNNING. She has plans and lies, but... not the most cunning.
> 
> Anyway, yes FIGHT! LET THEM FIIIIGHT.
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed - as ever, feedback and we will shortly be returning to DETECTIVE CATRA ANGELIC INVESTIGATOR. As well as some perspective on things from the OTHERs.
> 
> Along with some other twists ;) 
> 
> Let me know what you thought


	23. The curtain twitches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The mystery deepens for Bow
> 
> The Century's interfere
> 
> Glimmer makes an appearance

This made absolutely zero sense. None. Nada. NOTHING.

Bow sagged back against the chair and huffed. He glanced out the window and winced, watched as clouds roiled in over the early evening sky. It had all gotten incredibly hectic. He felt, on some level, that he should be out there, helping - even if it was a faked showdown. But Catra wanted him in here, helping.  Frosta was also restless, he could tell. She looked like she was sulking; but frankly they all felt a bit wrung out right now.  The intensity of the energies being siphoned and disposed of, like a celestial grounding rod, was palpable even from here. Add to that the sudden revelation that Micah was…

Mortal?

Well that was a whole other wrench to things. 

“How did this not seem  _ relevant _ ?” grumbled Bow as he gestured to the  _ forty five _ listings for Micah-related individuals.

“ _ Well, Brother! None fell within the precise remit as stipulated by Brother Glimmer!” _

“Which was?”

“ _ Identify the Archangel Micah, using a set parameters of likely physical descriptions. These individuals matched the Archangel but are clearly NOT angelic.” _

Bow sighed, “And… you didn’t think to raise this?”

_ “Oh of course Brother! But I was told, quote, ‘shut up you useless stack of chips and find my dad,’” _

Frosta nodded, “Yeah that sounds like your girlfriend.”   


The cherub flushed, his dark skin going a shade deeper as he glowered at Frosta, “She is…  _ not _ … “ The look the dverge shot him was, frankly, a masterclass in bemused sass. Amazing what a tiny person could do with folded arms and an arched eyebrow. Bow deflated, “Yeah, sounds like my girlfriend.”

A couple of the magi exchanged troubled glances but kept focused on their work. Frosta looked over to where Mermista was talking with Lonnie, then pointed at the list of Micah-likes, “So… what does this mean?”

“I haven’t a clue. We can all LOOK mortal. And I’d say… maybe he was switching identities. But look at the dates. There’s overlaps. Multiple cached video data-tapes. Pictures. Social media profiles.”

Frosta nodded, “So, basically, he’s lived double or triple lives in multiple locations, then hides himself by faking his various alias’ deaths?”

Bow shook his head, “No, I mean I thought that. But unless he can teleport really  _ really _ fast. AND bend time, he can’t be occupying multiple locations at once. Or have actual birth records  _ this _ detailed…”

The dverge shrugged, “Faking images is doable. Video too.”

“Well then, first thing we do is find one of these dopplegangers and… well, see if the shoe fits. That’s the phrase right?”

“You are so much better at those than your friend,” chuckled Frosta. Bow snorted and shook his head. He flinched as something shifted in the air and he twisted to regard an empty space within the office. Something began to warp and shift, triggering Bow's age old instincts.

“DOWN!” he shouted. The magi blinked in surprise, but the angels and Lonnie heard and ducked. Light flashed across the room and the smell of ozone filled the air. Bow came up, arrow drawn as light and steam expanded from a formerly empty patch of floor.  Three figures occupied the space - Century’s. Their golden armour was hidden beneath large, bulky cloaks and they surveyed the room with expressions of clear disdain. Bow fixed his expression into a neutral set and slowly lowered his bow and arrow. The Century at the front, a tall creature with purple skin and white hair glowered at him.

“You dare raise a weapon against the Ho-”

“Oh can it muscles,” Mermista stepped up, through the clearing smoke, which she waved at with an irritated expression, “And what the hell is your deal?”

The purple-being glared at her, “We are here at the behest of L-”   


“Yeah in my jurisdiction. Without my permission. And you’re interfering in a  _ delicate _ operation.”   


The purple angel huffed and drew herself up. She towered over Mermista who just blinked languorously. She regarded the Century with a bored expression on her face whilst the other Angel began to speak. The Century's words driped with condescending contempt, “We are here for your protection  _ Archangel _ .”

Bow heard Frosta hiss as she sucked in a worried breath. He glanced sideways at her and saw the dverge bite her lip in a mild exhibition of  _ fear _ . His gaze slid back to Mermista who had cocked her head. The Angel-formerly-known-as-Triton smile a _very_ unpleasant smile.

“Look, you jumped up Christmas tree decoration, step off,” Her voice was a drawl. Mermista studied her nails for a moment then flicked her gaze back to the towering Century, “How  _ old _ are you? Wait, let me guess… Accent, bearing… mid-west, couple of hundred years ago, yah?”

The Century twitched and leaned forwards, “You forget yourself, Archangel.” The purple angel prodded Mermista’s chest with a gauntlet clad finger. Mermista glanced down at the offending digit then back up.

Of course, Hordak chose that moment to interject, “ _ Ah. The god squad have deigned to grace us with their presence?” _

One Century gasped and in a feat of pure overreaction, flung a golden spear through the laptop from where Hordak’s voice emerged. The device exploded in a shower of sparks and golden light, whilst the Century roared defiance and a robust “Begone!”

The room was silent, the magi now huddled away from their stations. Magic flickered and discharged randomly, whilst the night sky beyond began to rumble and roil. Bow twitched as he realised they needed the mages back channelling. Not spooked by idiot grunts.

The lead Century turned her gaze on Mermista again, “Consorting with the fallen! Channelling their nefarious powers? What in the  _ planes _ is going on here?” she arched an eyebrow and then clapped a hand onto Mermista’s shoulder, “Things have clearly slipped. Expl-”

“Unhand her, villain!” Mermista’s expression, what Bow could see, went slack as her boyfriend stepped up and pushed the Century’s offending limb away. 

For their part, the Centuries seemed nonplussed. The two backups exchanged confused glances, whilst tall-purple-and-rude regarded Seahawk like something from the bottom of her shoe. When she spoke, her voice dripped with coarse disdain, “A mortal dares sully my presence?”

Seahawk drew himself up into a boxers pose, fists raised, “You besmirch the honour of my beloved Mermista! Come at me brigand! I will lay you out.”

The purple Century snarled and looked at Mermista, “Making an  _ idol _ of yourself? Stealing Mara’s glory! Or…” her eyebrow arched and her expression shifted to disgust, “Is he your pet?”

Seahawk stepped forward, “Apologise now, ruffian! You are out of line!”

Bow took a step forward as he could see how this was about to go down. Except he wasn’t quite fast enough. He gasped as the Century swatted Seahawk aside with a contemptuous slap. The mortal spun away and crashed into a table, magical artefacts exploding off in a spray of wax and clattering bone.

And then there was silence once more, save a faint whimper. Bow blinked in surprise.

Mermista’s wings were out - their form a translucent blue, like waves in the Mediterranean sun. In her grip was a dual-pronged spear. It was currently embedded in the wall, around the neck of the purple Century. Mermista’s face was  _ terrifying _ . Eyes wide, lips drawn back in a snarl, “You don’t  _ touch _ anyone here. Not without  _ my _ say so. This is Earth. There are  _ rules _ . And it isn’t armageddon  _ yet _ , unless you assholes forgot to send the memo. Again.”

The other two Centuries had their weapons out but seemed confused. Century’s could outrank Archangels. Technically. But Archangels tended to be a lot  _ older _ as well. So in terms of raw power it was a bit of… coin toss?

That was the phrase. Bow nodded to himself. He glanced at Frosta. The dverge’s expression was now a glower. And she had a pair of what looked like ice axes in her hands. Which  _ glowed _ .

This could escalate  _ rapidly. _ And that was exactly what they didn’t need while trying to stage manage the duel outside. Maybe Light Hope had her suspicions? In which case, obliterating her minions was probably a  _ bad _ idea.

What would Catra do? Bow chewed his lip and then smiled slowly. He strode across the floor and laid a hand on Mermista’s shoulder. The purple-skinned Century glanced at him, then down at the gem in his chest, then back up to his face. She looked confused. Bow proffered a reassuring smile.

“Hey there. I’m Bow. What’s your name?”

“I am… hngg… Huntara of the Fifteenth Phalanx, the glorious…”   


“Ok, great, nice to meet you Huntara. I’m Bow. Cherub. So, um, you’ve kind of interrupted a rather important trap, y’know? So, gotta ask… why?”

Huntara blinked, “We… were sent here by Light Hope! To investi-”

“Oh, to help the investigation, right. Which she’s all aware of. Do you think she meant ‘disrupt a carefully planned minimised intervention’? Orrrr ‘Go mess up things and start a fight’?”

Bow’s smile was broad and friendly, his expression curious. Huntara frowned, then twitched as Mermista flexed her grip on the spear, “We… are here to ensure no irregularities are…”

“Cool, cool,” murmured Bow, then frowned, “Cos… seems awfully timely. You here to disrupt things. Maybe… are you helping the demons?”

Huntara boggled, but seemed flushed as well, “What? NO! We would never help their sort! YOU’RE the ones with a demon working with you!”   


“Oh Hordak? Yeah he’s corralled. Enthralled. Come on, binding demons? How out of the game are you? We’ve done that for CENTURIES, Century… heh,” Bow ploughed on, affecting nonchalonce. Mermista glanced at him then smirked.

“Like, duh. We employ  _ witches _ doofus. They use demons, minor and major. Doesn’t mean they’re all in Weaver’s lap. We have  _ provisions _ and  _ bylaws _ in place, y’know? And how better to hunt a demon than  _ with _ a demon, y’know?”

The Century seemed momentarily blindsided, then glared, “This is… you dare to strike at me and accuse me of consorting with…”

Bow barrelled on, “Huh, pride. Interesting.”   


“Wait, what?” Huntara’s gaze shifted to him, “That… wait, no.”

“Lying too,” Bow pursed his lips, “Pride. Arrogance. Avarice… lotta sins there. Very…  _ Shadow Weaver _ .”

“How dare…!”

Mermista nodded sagely, “Yeah, no humility. Wrath too. Wow, you’re getting the whole set.”   


“Whole… what?” Huntara paused, suddenly uncertain. Bow pushed on and tapped the gem on his chest.

“Doesn’t just pick up love, y’know. All  _ extreme _ emotions. And the bad ones. I can  _ feel _ it… and well,” he sucked a breath and looked at Mermista, “Maybe we need to get Dominion Catra’s view. I mean, she’s all in for banishing that Demon. Been her whole thing.”

“Oh yeah she’s been wanting to stick it to that bitch for days now.”

Bow nodded seriously, “Really wanted to throw down. Get into it.”   


Frosta piped up, “So messy. Like, tearing strips off each other. She’s real worked up.”

The Cherub bit his lip to hide the grin, then gave Huntara a mock-uncertain glance, “Having to break it to her that we’ve got a fallen angel looking to sabotage her big operation? Not good. And then she’ll have to explain to Light Hope that her teams had been infiltrated…”

Huntara squirmed and looked panicky, “Light Hope has faith in me! I am not sullied!”

“Yeah, you  _ say _ that,” drawleed Mermista, “But you came in here, disrupted a banishing operation and then threatened the designated Archangel on earth with no evidence or purview beyond being an arrogant douche. Like, dude, not chill.”   


Bow nodded sagely, “And, well… Light Hope… will she want to put it all on the line for a Century?” he glanced at the other two, “Who I assume is working alone, her colleagues completely in the dark?”

The other two exchanged glances then lowered their weapons, “Uh… well.. Maybe we, um… we’re just here on orders, y’know?” coughed one. The other nodded. Huntara shot them a glare, but it was a panicked on.

“You… can’t.”

Bow spread his hands, “You, a young Century, lots of promise but not much seniority… against me, a high ranked Cherub, an Archangel or two, a room full of Magi  _ and _ a well known Dominion with a history of eliminating threats to the Eternal City?” he smiled sympathetically, “Well, good luck is all I can say, when it comes to presenting evidence… of course…”

His expression was musing and Huntara latched onto it, “What?”

“If this was just a misunderstanding… well, the  _ enthusiasm _ of someone new to earth after so long, and only so recently elevated? That could be a better explanation, right?”

Huntara nodded as much as she could around the spear prongs, “Of course. Just… jitters, y’know?” her muscled form shifted and she held up her hands slowly, “Just… want to do a good job, right?”

One of the magi cried out suddenly, then looked at them, “We’ve got… gates!”

Bow spun and frowned, “Gates? As in…  _ demon _ gates?”

“Circles all over town. Must be that excess energy. It’s…”

“More spikes in angelic manifestations!” shouted another of the mages, who had returned to her table, “Got… seven at least.”

The Cherub turned back to Huntara, his mind thinking quickly. Had Glimmer and Adora betrayed them? Or did they think  _ Bow and Catra _ had betrayed  _ them _ with all these angels turning up? One thing was sure: there was another plan in motion here and it wasn’t theirs, “So, didn’t trust us to get the job done? Or did you set those demons up? Looking to start a fight?”

His voice clearly carried a tense element to it as Huntara shook her head, “NO! I wouldn’t summon  _ filth _ to prove a point!”

Mermista sneered, then looked at the magi, “What are you seeing.”

The mage’s eyes were closed and he shook his head, “Hounds… not many. It looks more like a distraction. They’re heading for the mortals….”

The sea-goddess cursed and glowered at Huntara, “You want to be useful?” she yanked the spear from the wall, “Go round up some puppies.”

“You… can’t tell…”   


“Did I stutter?” glared Mermista, the prongs levelled once more at Huntara. Bow sighed and stepped forward again.

“Huntara, you’re better served out there,  _ if _ you came to fight demons. Trust me, you don’t want to get in Catra’s way. If that thing is more powerful than we expect, it’ll eat you alive. If not, this will be over pretty quick. But now you’re here, you can help with um… damage control.”

The Century glowered at him and chewed her cheek. Eventually she spoke, “Fine. But we  _ will _ be back.”

Mermista snorted and Frosta gave a sarcastic wave.

“Can’t  _ wait _ ,” growled the blue winged Archangel. They watched as the Century’s gathered themselves. The cohort of magi and angels collectively exhaled as the three armoured beings vanished. Mermista then dashed over to where Seahawk lay sprawled - Lonnie was knelt next to him already and snorted as Mermista practically skidded on her knees over to the man. The Seer smirked.

“Chill, girl. He’s fine.”

Seahawk laid a hand over his forehead, “Hardly! I was unable to protect my sweet, darling Mermista. I shall die of  _ shame _ .”

The Archangel fussed over him for a moment, then sat back as her blue wings shimmered out of existence. She glowered at him and swatted his head, “Do not do that again, idiot. I’d rather you set fire to, like, the studio. Or my car. Not challenge a fucking  _ angel _ to a fist fight.”   


“For you, my love, I would arm wrestle the Kraken,” his words made Mermista blush for a moment. She swatted at him again.

“Shut up.”

Bow smiled and glanced at his chest as the gem pulsed a deep, vibrant red. Well, that dispelled  _ any _ doubts. He huffed then turned to the other Magi, “So, what the heck? First… how’d they get in?”

The woman blanched, “No idea. We have… wards. So we should have had a  _ warning.” _

Frosta glanced his way, “Well, Glimmer and Brunhilde just waltzed in here no issues. Century’s could probably bust in. Being angels and all…” she gave a sort of  _ duh  _ shrug. Bow grimaced and nodded back.

“Makes sense… but then again Glimmer and Adora are… in their own category. Remember how Catra just walked over that seal in Emily’s lab? Think  _ that _ level. Century’s are…”

“Assholes,” grumbled Mermista.

“I was gonna go with  _ focused _ . They are the soldiers, after all. Their whole  _ thing _ is knocking down walls, remember. Jericho, Troy, Megiddo.”

Lonnie’s brow crinkled, “Wasn’t one of those trumpets or something?”

The angelic members of the cohort exchanged glances, but Hordak’s voice emerged from an undamaged laptop, “ _ They cheated. The horns were a cover for a Century cohort to fatally undermine the sandstone…” _

Mermista clicked her thumb and forefinger, “Forgot you were there that time. I wasn’t, bit too inland. And I was dealing with the whole Greek thing.”

The humans exchanged very confused glances at the weird angel and demon reminiscences. Bow glanced between them all and snorted, then looked back at the magi, “And, what, more demons and angels out there?”

She nodded. He recalled her name - Jennifer. Fairly young. A bit inexperienced. But enthusiastic, mentored by Lonnie’s mother, if their coffee catchups had been any indication. The magi swallowed and gestured at the candles and rattling bone fragments on her table. Outside, lights flickered across buildings and colours only visible to celestial and planar beings warped through the air. There was the smell of  _ despair _ and the taste of  _ hope _ and the tingle of  _ cerulean _ in the air.

Bow looked at the various ward control nodes that the magi were operating - it was not his particular area, after all, but he tried to make sense of it, “So… double cross?” he winced at the thought.

Mermista huffed and shrugged, “Much as I hate to admit it… doubtful,” she pointed at one of the tables, “The demonic energy is  _ still _ being siphoned. And just, like, being used to open sporadic portals. Most you could get through that is  _ maybe  _ an imp or…”

A growl cut through the air and everyone turned to watch as the elevator doors dinged open to reveal a dog. A really really ugly dog. With a squid for a head. Tentacles flared around a spiny maw and the growl it let out was part reverberating gurgle and part chuckle.

Bow brought his weapon up, arrow ready. Frosta glowered and readied her ice axes. Around the room the magi hastily traced protective rune and flipped through tomes to find some sort of ward or incantation. Lonnie yanked a bag of salt from her jacket pocket and spread it around Seahawk and herself.

Then a figure appeared in a flurry of black glitter. She glanced over her shoulder with a wince, reached forward and grabbed the hound by the scruff of its neck. She wagged a finger at the beast which seemed to shrink back, then she vanished in another puff of glitter. The cohort froze, stunned.

Mermista lowered her spear, “She really has weird timing.”

“Uh huh,” managed Bow. He looked over at the summoning circle and arched an eyebrow at Kyle, “Any Seraphs or Century’s your side?”   


“Uhhh nope. Roj is… watching. But the archive is being  _ weird _ .”

Bow frowned, “Weird?”   


“Weird. Like, I haven’t seen  _ anyone _ today. I’ve heard visitors but… it seems to be keeping them away?”

That caused a small stir. Lonnie stood and moved out of her salt circle, “It… what?”

Bow smiled faintly, “It’s helping us… Mara is with us…”

The others looked his way, some with confusion, others with scepticism. But some with hope. Frosta looked uncertain, “What… what do you mean?”

It was Kyle who spoke, “Uhhh.. the Archives are… alive? Sort of, y’know? Or at least they have opinions. Goals. ALl this knowledge and information… they’re a sort of repository of experiences. An extension of Mara some say. Not many in the Eternal City really know. Not even the Seraphs. Knowledge so old, most have forgotten it. So, maybe it is? Or maybe it just wants to see how this all goes?”

“Either way,” murmured Bow. But then hadn’t Catra said that the Archives were missing the records on Adora? That it had been burned away? Maybe the grand vaults were trying to correct the loss - to re-chronicle the tale. Or maybe it was some divine providence?

Another changed in the air made him turn and Glimmer was once again present. She looked pensive and a little haggard, “Uh, y’know there are  _ angels _ out there?”

Bow nodded and frowned, “Not with us.”

“Figured. They’re a bit too… zealous. You guys are flaky as anything.”

Frosta giggled but Mermista puffed up, offended, “Like, that’s rich from you, Hallmark.”

Glimmer glowered but Bow held up his hands to silence further arguments, “And the demons?”

“Uhhh… a backup plan. In case this… happened. They’re a distraction. And also add a bit of, y’know,  _ realism _ to the fight. Makes it look like Ado...the demoness is trying something.”

“Look sparklethon, if you’re here, you’ve blown cover, so saying her name means like, nothing, ok?” Mermista picked at one prong of her spear, “So why  _ are _ you here?”

“A heads up. We’re going ahead and… well… saw those three meatheads in here, sent the dog to help but… too little too late? And then, well… didn’t want him getting obliterated. Kinda cute, once you get to know them.”

Mermista deadpanned, “A nihilistic beast of the pit, bent on corruption and obliteration and innocence. Yay. How cute.”

Glimmer snorted, “Maybe if you  _ tried _ to get to  _ know _ them. They really like belly scratches.”   


Bow blinked and then sighed, “Thanks Glim, so, we nearly there?”

“Just need the glyph. And with the audience out there… we need to get it right.”

He nodded at her, “Ok. Be careful.”

She smirked, “Duh. Always am. Ok, here I go. Love you!” She vanished and Bow blinked as his chest gem suddenly became a mild floodlight. The other occupants of the room stared. Glimmer reappeared, her face neutral but eyes wide, “Um, uh, y’know, like  _ love _ meaning, well, y’know,  _ coooooool _ and  _ yeeeeahhhh _ . And um…”

Bow nodded slowly then marched across the room, swept her into a dip and kissed her hard. They broke apart and he stared into her eyes, “Be. Careful.”

“Uh. Yep. Totally. No need to worry… feather… face…” her voice was husky and she was blinking very  _ very  _ rapidly.

“Meet at Adora’s after, ok? We can… I have stuff I need to tell you there. Important. But right now - save the girl.”

“Uh huh,” Glimmer stared at him again, then yanked him down for another kiss. Once more the gem became a mini sun. Then Glimmer  _ blipped _ away and Bow stumbled forwards slightly, body now clasping at empty air. Mermista chuckled, whilst Seahawk placed his hands across his chest.

“The vision of  _ true love _ . Dear, sweet Mermista, come hither and…”   


“Nope. Can it sailor boy,” but at least she had the decency to blush as she said it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a tiny vignette, not as meaty. Laying the groundwork for INVESTIGATIONS and then PLOT will advance to the ENDGAME as of next chapter. I reckon we'll hit about 32 now I've mapped it out a bit more.
> 
> As ever, let me know what you think! This should be the end of the slow crawl, we're going to get a bit bulkier in terms of content and progress as we resolve some... issues with Mentors ;)


	24. This Conquers All

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Catra faces Light Hope - can she be convinced?
> 
> The team regroup and explain
> 
> A plan is formed
> 
> Fun begins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Something for all of you to get your teeth into!
> 
> SOME MINOR TEASING AND REFERENCES OF AN ADULT NATURE :) Notes at the end for... the next bit...

_ “It is banished?” _ Light Hope’s stoic visage twitched only slightly.

Catra remained impassive as she stared back at the translucent form of the Seraph, “ _ It _ is. Almost not, thanks to your not so subtle interference.”

The Seraph frowned faintly,  _ “It was a calculated risk to guarantee success and to ensure that… _ ” there was a pause,  _ “That the threat was not a more serious interloper.” _

“So you didn’t  _ trust _ me to get the job done? You didn’t have  _ faith _ ?” Catra had to hide her smirk as she watched the Seraph visibly bristle.

_ “You speak out of turn, Dominion.” _

“I speak with the authority of Mara, to preserve the balance on Earth, in the role assigned to me. You should have informed me of your intention to interfere - as it is, it looks like sabotage.”

Light Hope’s frown deepened,  _ “You accuse me of collusion with Hell?” _

“I didn’t say that. You could have been misled by a Century with weaker bonds to the City. Or fed false intelligence. Or perhaps... are you colluding?” Catra’s smile was firm, no real humour present. Light Hope tilted her head.

_ “It is blasphemy to presume a Seraph would…” _   


“Lightspinner was a Seraph. Sounds an awful lot like  _ hubris _ you’re espousing. Perhaps the Dominions should audit the Office of the Seraphim?”

_ “You have no...” _

“We have that authority, my lady. It was Adora who wrote it into the articles after the final battle, remember? At the behest of her  _ mother _ . Would you spit on her legacy? Or… would you help me, my lady? Help me understand.”

Light Hope met her gaze, milky white eyes locked onto blue and amber,  _ “You overstep your station. Your role.” _

“I fulfill my role. What is yours?”

Those white eyes narrowed slightly,  _ “The energy on the planet was in excess of what a normal demon would contribute. We believed it to be a Fallen.” _

“As I advised it  _ might _ be.”

_ “Yes.” _

“So, even though you  _ know _ I can tackle Fallen, you doubted me. So, next question,  _ my lady _ …. What scared you about  _ this _ one?”

_ “Her ability to mimic your… friend. My protege. I was concerned you would be swayed.” _

Catra’s jaw twitched and she frowned - she didn’t have to fake this particular emotion, “So you did doubt me.”

_ “I had concerns and contingencies. This is a strategic decision.” _

“And the Century’s who attempted to strong arm their way in here?”

_ “A security precaution to ensure that your… unorthodox approach was not compromised itself.” _

“Ah. You refer to the caged demon and the mortals.”

_ “Indeed. They are fallible, weak links that risked failure.” _

“And yet we prevailed.”

_ “Against a foe that was anomalous.” _

Catra sighed, “Despite the bumbling of the Century’s, I am sure their own reports to you will corroborate some details. Firstly, that the demon in question was not working alone; we still have a second one on the loose, though it appears to be a much weaker being. It did not even enter the fray, content to summon some minor annoyances. Hardly an invasion,” the Dominion waved a hand dismissively to enhance her point, “Add to that, the particular circles. We had setup our own to drain the demon’s corrupting power. And it seemed the demons had anticipated this.”

Light Hope cocked her head,  _ “Explain.” _

“Demons are reliant on negative emotions, excess and… other flaws of the human condition. To gain power, they must cultivate an environment that is toxic.”   


“ _ This I know.” _

“Indeed, my lady. But, if you will excuse my presumption, you have not been to the mortal realm for some time. The magic here is weaker. The impact upon us beings more pronounced. To perform even minor miracles is more of an exertion. The air is… oppressive. For a demon, whilst the environment is more saturated with their preferred auras it is still difficult to harness, due to the more grounded nature of the world.”

Light Hope nodded slowly, “ _ The planes are broken. Imbalance. A scouring is necessary?” _

Catra startled and blinked, “Um… no. Not at all. I am merely explaining the reality of… reality. This demon has been here a while, building its power base. And, with the revelation of those particular summoning circles, that explains how it was able to generate and focus such power. It wasn’t  _ inherent _ power. It was running on batteries.”

Catra knew she was spinning one heck of a tale - playing up Adora’s holding back as both a mark of success of their OWN wards  _ and _ trying to present the surprise of the demon wards as some sort of jump-start kit. A slightly different take on presenting ‘Adora’ as just a freakily and surprisingly competent demon. Light Hope studied her, then nodded.

“ _ I am unfamiliar with this particular method of power exchange _ .”

“It is… mortal magic. The demon was likely too weak to properly channel a true connection to Hell and was reliant on local abilities to open a conduit. This would explain why they were so successful in evading our detection - they were too small to really register, only flagging as a threat once they had accumulated enough local energy to become a threat… albeit a temporary one.”

All utter bullshit. Well crafted bullshit, with a nice bow on top, but complete improvisation. Catra was rather proud of herself. It took her back to Troy and her chats with Odysseus as they tried to out do one another with stories. But she was  _ winging _ it. It didn’t help that she was tired. Tired and frustrated.

Oh not frustrated-irritated.

_ Frustrated _ .

She poured that into being a grade-a asshole to the Seraph, “Basically, I’ve been down here chasing a jumped up imp with delusions of grandeur and a sassy attitude. A  _ clever _ imp, yes. Possibly even something akin to a Jotun, maybe. Stupid forehead and all. It tried  _ pouting _ at me, my lady.  _ Pouting _ . What kind of demon  _ does _ that?”

The Seraph looked nonplussed at the sudden shift in conversation,  _ “Are you feeling quite well, Dominion?” _

“Just… first time down on the dustball for eons and… I was hoping for a challenge! Something I could… could grab ahold of. PROVE myself. And now I see you have no faith in me to handle even an  _ imp _ ? Has heaven gotten so skittish it needs to drop a meteor on even a faint inkling of demonic activity? Where… where is the  _ risk _ ?”

She sagged and had to hide her grin again, masking it as a snarl instead. Light Hope watched her then shook her head,  _ “This has worn on you. It appears I have incorrectly assessed the situation and your part in it, Dominion Catra. I will remedy this and ensure you are included in forthcoming plans. Identify this remaining Demon. Expunge it. Report back to the Eternal City and we will discuss the Plan. A clean slate is required and one of your skills would be beneficial in driving how we advance the planes, in Mara’s name.” _

Catra looked up, “The Plan, my lady?”

_ “Yes. I believe we must make use of your particular insight. I will admit an apprehension. But now that I see my worries were unfounded, that the threat was not what I anticipated… we should progress in another fashion.” _

“I… am  _ honoured _ , my lady. I will return once the demon is eliminated. And I have established their plan.” __

_ “If they are not Dukes or Barons, is there even a coherent plan? Just opportunity.” _

“We underestimate them at our peril, my lady. The foul influence of Shadow Weaver permeates this world,” now she felt she was laying it on a  _ little _ thick, but still, “Maybe using lower ranked demons is their way of keeping our attention of them…. Or, maybe, you are right and they merely wish chaos.”

_ “Shadow Weaver has aspirations for the Eternal City. Earth is a mere staging area and of little import. Souls as a resource, perhaps, but we are unassailable. Remember this, Dominion Catra. The Plan will succeed, the Enemy will fall and the planes will be remade, reforged stronger and resilient. Perfection eternal in Mara’s gaze. So it is written.” _

Catra studied the impassive Seraph and nodded, “In Mara’s name.”   


Light Hope twitched her head in a nod, then her image faded away from the circle. Catra exhaled and turned as the Magi and other celestial beings (Sans demons) re-entered the room. Mermista was carrying Seahawk, bridal style.

“Um, dearest, you… you can release me.”   


“Shut up.”

“Shutting up dear.”   


Bow tilted his head and nodded at the empty circle, “So… we heard all that. Your take?”

The Dominion sighed, “Lies. Or rather  _ evasion _ . She got indignant, sidestepped questions, avoided telling an outright falsehood. Or opening up too much.”

“She definitely thought it was Adora then?”   


“Oh I bet my rear pfennig…”   


Frosta twitched, “Bottom…. Dollar.”

“That’s what I said, short-stack,” Catra waved a hand, “ _ Anyway _ , so, tall-light-and-pompous has a game plan. And I do not like the sound of it…. There’s a  _ reason _ Adora made sure the Seraphs could be… subject to investigation. Just that no one’s  _ tried _ one before.”

“Would it even  _ work _ ?” mused Lonnie. She leaned against a table and crossed her ankles.Her strappy top seemed impractical given the time of day but she looked more bored than cold.

Catra shrugged, “Well, if a Seraph  _ resisted _ a Dominion? That’d look preeeeetty bad. But normally Mara would be there to validate it. Except she’s been in seclusion since… well since Adora, really. So, uhhh yeah. She seems to have bought it.”

Mermista snorted, “Good job you can improv.”

“Close though… actually a good thing those Century’s turned up.  _ And _ Glimmer’s little power play.”

Bow smiled, “What, no  _ Sparkles _ ?”

“She earned a single reprieve, kept the Century’s busy, made it look like a really  _ really _ bad attempt at an invasion. Sold the idea of demons just… being weird.”

“Like I said, good improv,” Mermista laid Seahawk back down on a camp cot, then turned to Catra, “So, what now?”

“Now… we grab some _kafveh_ and make sure Adora hasn’t started any more fires.”

\---------------

The living area of Adora’s apartment was, to put it mildly, cramped. It would have been comfortable for two. Four at a push. But eight was pushing it as the strange group lounged and milled in the room. 

Or rather, it was cramped for six celestial beings and two mortals. There might have been space between people, but the sheer pressure of power in the room was like a physical weight. Add to that the pent up  _ energy _ of another kind and, well, everyone looked a little wired.

Bow leaned against the counter top, his arms crossed tightly in front of him. Well, he actually leaned against  _ Glimmer _ who was perched on the counter, her legs either side of him, her chin on his shoulder, her arms wrapped around him and atop his. The pink-haired punk was staring at Seahawk who was currently draped on the couch, with an arm over his forehead. Mermista was trying to look disgruntled as she fussed over him.

Frosta stood next to Lonnie as they quietly chatted. Frosta made several rather large hand motions, miming an explosion while Lonnie just rolled her eyes. But she had a smile on her face.

Catra lounged on a beanbag, her face showing her displeasure at the indignity of the item of furniture. Perhaps also it had something to do with the statuesque blonde draped in her lap. Adora leaned back and chatted with Mermista idly, as the sea-god-cum-angel continued to ministrate her would-be-saviour. Of course Catra’s face was more of an  _ attempt _ at a scowl. But the corners of her mouth kept trying to quirk up.

Bow turned his head to regard Glimmer, “So.”   


She met his gaze levelly, “So.”

“We’re a thing then.”

“Seems so.”

He nodded, “Good.”

She blinked, “Is it?”

The cherub smiled, “Yes.”

Glimmer nodded, “Then it’s fine.”

He reached up and tapped her chin, then gently twisted her face to meet his, “More than fine.”

They kissed. A lightbulb blew out. Adora whooped from across the room: “GET SOME! You go Glim! Also, you’re paying for that bulb. BUT GO YOUUUUUU!”

Glimmer raised a hand and flipped Adora the bird. She didn’t break the kiss. Bow’s chest stone glowed brighter. When they came apart, Bow grinned and blinked. Glimmer looked flushed and  _ soft _ . That was the only word for it. The demon swallowed, then hugged him tighter.

“Am I in hell?”

Bow blinked at the question. He turned in her embrace and cupped her face, “What?”

“Because… I feel… happy. And… scared? Why am I  _ scared _ ?”

Gently, Bow brought her in for another kiss - a gentle brush of lips, a flicker as their souls tentatively brushed one another across the ether. The flow of  _ knowing _ and the flare of energy around them was briefly visible around them as Bow carefully wrapped Glimmer in a balm of reassurance - his arms and his  _ soulself _ . The demon sagged into him and thrummed happily.

“Would you mind taking that somewhere private? It’s hard to… focus, with all the metaphysical… probing,” Catra huffed from across the room. Glimmer huffed and peered around Bow.

“Focus on  _ what _ ? You’re just being an armchair now, kitty-litter. And we just survived! LET ME HAVE THIS!”

Adora was partly sat up now and was prodding Catra’s cheek with a forefinger, whilst making  _ boop boop _ noises. She grinned over at Glimmer and a flushed (but still smiling) Bow, then looked back at Catra, “Focusing on what babe?”

“Just… processing. Working through things. And… this...” the Dominion huffed at the faint circle she’d drawn in the middle of the room. She stretched a hand out and tried to project past the various wards that Adora had setup to protect her haven.

Glimmer chuckled and squeezed Bow, “Yeah, gotta keep that cool, collected head, Catra. Don’t get  _ distracted _ .”

“You can do it!” cheered Bow.

Adora grinned, “Yeah Catra,  _ focus _ !” this she said while drawing her finger along Catra’s jaw. She leaned up and whispered something in Catra’s ear and the Dominion yelped and twisted awkwardly to stare at the blonde demon.

“You  _ wouldn’t _ .”

“Only if you want to,” grinned Adora. Catra swallowed, then glanced around the room, and nodded quickly. Glimmer coughed.

“Want to share with the class?”

Adora lolled her head to one side, “You got yours Glim… this one’s  _ all mine _ .”

Across the room, Lonnie looked up from her conversation with Frosta, “Fun as it is to watch y’all eye fuck each other and  _ soul-whatever _ while we drink, can you please keep it in your pants until we’ve vacated the premises? Please? I need a shower already.”

Catra grunted, “Lonnie is right.”

Adora interjected, “Exactly. Very right. INDUBITABLY!” she giggled and shook her head, “Hooo… still on a rush. Also,  _ Kyyyyyyle _ isn’t here. So, y’know, she’s missing out.”

That got a glare from the Seer, “Step off, demon.”

“Whaaaaat? I’m not mocking! We NEED to make that happen. You three are cute. I mean  _ super _ cute. First thing… FIRST thing Catra needs to do back up there - set you guys up on a  _ date _ . A proper one. ‘Cos that, right now - definition of long distance.”

Catra huffed and shoved Adora off her lap. The demon yelped as she hit the carpet, then snorted a giggle. With a sigh, the Dominion bent and hauled the taller girl up. She didn’t even bother hiding the fond grin on her face, “You… how are you so wasted?”

“I had to hold back a  _ lot _ . Y’know, drunk on  _ the dark side _ and all that?” Adora reached up and stroked Catra’s jawline again, “I  _ need _ to burn it off.”

Her voice was a growl and reverberated through several harmonics. Even Mermista shuddered and swallowed, “Uhhh… can that  _ wait _ ? And, like… this place  _ is _ warded for… internal stuff.”

Adora stared at her, then grinned again, “Oh yes. Never had to test that though. Be fun to find out.”

Catra looked a little stricken but she rallied, “Ok, business first….” that got a pout from Adora, but her eyes showed she was teasing. Catra shoved her with a shoulder, “Behave. We… did well. I think the focus is off us for now. We’ve got breathing space. And… I think Light Hope  _ knows _ you’re out here, Adora.”

The blonde huffed and shrugged, “I guessed,” her playful demeanour faded and her face hardened, “I want to know what her game is. If  _ she _ did this… or if she just wants me dead  _ because _ I’m this.”

Mermista harrumphed as she straightened from next to the couch, “Little from column a, little from column b? I mean, like, it’d help if we could, y’know, look at the curse in detail?”

“Hence the need for my dad,” grumbled Glimmer. She glanced at Bow, “You said… something earlier.”

The group’s arrival at the apartment had been a tad chaotic, which explained the lack of explanation. The celestials had left the magi on clear-up duty as well as rotating rest shifts - the humans were exhausted and operating very sluggishly. They’d decamped across the blacked-out city, avoiding the remaining police and straggling protesters, to get to the apartment.

Whereupon Adora had practically tackled Catra and carried her to the beanbag.

Bow had just slumped against the counter and Glimmer had practically wrapped herself around him. The others had merely… made themselves at home, content in silence for a few moments.

The Cherub drew a breath, then fished his cell phone out and placed it on the kitchen counter, “So, um… seems that your little helper was… actually helpful.”

Adora and Glimmer  _ both _ blinked and exchanged looks. The glittery-one huffed, “Uh… no. it never  _ found _ my dad.”   


“Wellllll,” Bow winced, “He kinda did? Just… not  _ quite _ your dad. You may have… not been specific enough in your query.”

“Are you saying I don’t know how to use tech?” Glimmer’s voice was level. Adora winced.

“Oooof. First fight. And they’ve been dating for a whole… twenty minutes?”

Catra arched an eyebrow, “This is an exchange of facts… I… see no risk here?”

Adora shot her a look, “You know nothing about decent fighting technique,” she deadpanned. Catra huffed.

“Uh, excuse me, oh heir to the celestial throne! I think you’ll….” Adora held up a hand, pursed her lips, then gestured to Bow and Glimmer. Catra blinked, then slapped her forehead, “Ah, point taken. When did you get so… observant?”

“When did you get so formal?” Adora chuckled. Catra shouldered her and smiled.

“Since I was lacking an idiot. I had to pull double duty being amazing  _ and _ professional. Did a real number on my… cool factor.”

That drew a snort from Adora and Catra smiled. The group watched as Bow ran a hand through his hair.

“Look. So, um…  _ Kadroh _ as he likes to be called….”

_ “HELLO BROTHERS!” _

Adora rolled her eyes, “Greeeeaaaaat.”

Bow pushed on, “Kadroh… well he did as you asked. LITERALLY. It’s less you not knowing about tech, more… not knowing about  _ this _ bit of sentient tech that takes you VERY seriously.”   


“It spams me with dating tips,” drawled Glimmer, “And ‘Middle aged dudes in your area want to get to know you.’”

“Uh… did you check the links?” Bow tapped his lips, a thoughtful expression on his face.

“What? NO!” exclaimed the pink-demon, “Why the  _ hell _ ….”

“Because I think he was TRYING to get your attention,” Bow grasped his phone, tapped something on the screen and flipped the device around. It showed a dating website. And on the site was…

Micah.

Glimmer blanched. She sagged on the counter and started, “D….dad?”

Bow winced, “Maybe? Or… something.”

The demon was off the counter in a second, hands wrapped around Bow’s and the phone he held, “Oh mom is gonna be  _ pisssssssed _ . Like, he is in the doghouse. The couch would be  _ luxury _ . If he wasn’t doomed already she is gonna….”

Catra coughed, “Are… you happy about that?”

Glimmer laughed but it was a desperate, confused sound, “I haven’t a  _ clue _ . My dad is… alive? And  _ cruising _ ? He… he didn’t try to find me? Or Adora?”

“Wait, WAIT,” Bow’s voice was stern, but calm, “There’s more to it. Look. Lists of… multiple sightings. Several at the same time. On  _ different _ continents. Can your dad teleport?”

Glimmer watched as Bow scrolled through Kadroh’s lists, “Uh… no. That’s… that’s a  _ me _ thing. Mom can do a  _ sort _ of fast movement with magic? Temporal stuff, slowing down time and all that. And dad was always better at combat stuff. But transportation. All me…” she did a little jazz-hand wave and gave a nervous giggle.

It was… strangely cute. And vulnerable. Bow smiled gently, “So, yeah… it could be coincidence. Someone who looks like your dad. Or it could be him hiding, lying low from  _ something _ . But all these sightings? I have NO idea how he’s doing that.”

Lonnie stepped up to the counter, “You can do doppleganger spells, illusions to make someone look like someone else. But they’re tricky and you need  _ something _ of the original to maintain the illusion… and why would a witch use some essence of an archangel to just do an illusion spell?”

Mermista nodded slowly, whilst Seahawk sat up. His head was now at least 50% bandage, “Um… shapeshifters?”

The group turned slowly to regard him. Adora quirked an eyebrow, “Say again, oh Captain?”

“Well… I’m still a bit  _ new _ to all this, I know. Hardly a seasoned explorer in these uncharted waters…”

“UuuuuGH! Get to the point already,” groaned Mermista.

“Yes, dearest… so, um, I note that, Ms Catra the Dominion of the fourth Kellog…”

“Chorus.”

“Yes, that. Um, I note she looks. Like a cat.”

“Cats. Look. Like. ME!” huffed Catra.

“Yes, they do. And they don’t pull it off nearly as well,” Adora stroked a soothing hand down Catra’s back. The Dominion huffed and settled.

“Anyway, yes. I note you can… shape change. Is that… limited to Angels? Or, um, Demons?”

The group exchanged glances. Frosta hummed, “So, what? We’ve got… people covering for Micah? Pretending to be him? Throwing off the search?”

Catra nodded slowly, “It would… fool a cursory search. Some low powered beings that appeared to BE Micah… could fool someone into thinking they’re a mortal with an uncanny resemblance. And with this many, the real Micah could hide… but from what?”

“Heaven?” Adora shrugged, “Seems to be a theme here…”

The Dominion nodded, “It could even be Mythics… they would appear as closer to mortals anyway. An Angel who investigated would spot another angel masquerading as Micah… they’d probably spot a Mythic as well, but only if they  _ knew _ .”

“Well, if they suspected it was Micah, then seeing Angelic energy wouldn’t be a surprise…” mused Lonnie, “So… if these guys ARE all Angels, why hasn’t heaven rounded them up?”

Adora grinned, “We need to meet one. We need to see if they  _ are _ some sort of… Micah resistance.”

Glimmer looked shellshocked, “M… meet them? What… what if it’s a trap? Or… Or they  _ aren’t _ My dad? Or… um.. Or.”

Bow grasped her hands and squeezed, “Then we can rule them out and we get  _ closer _ to finding him. And maybe finding out what the heck is going on.”

She nodded quickly and sniffled, “Yeah… yeah. We’re here to find him. And.. and this is the first solid lead. How.. how did I  _ miss _ this? UGH!” she shook and Bow stroked his thumbs over the back of her hands.

“Hey… I fluked it. Kadroh just… told me. And even if it’s some… faun dressed as your dad, they’re  _ involved _ , they’ll know  _ something _ .”

Adora’s smile was broad, but Catra noted it seemed a little brittle, “Are you ok?”

The demon sagged slightly, “I’m… tired. You know that.”

“I know.”   


“And… we’ve  _ never _ been this close. Maybe a sighting or a rumour or some… similar manifestation of power? Or a location? But… it’s frustrating but also… we  _ feel _ closer to it,” she placed her arms around Catra’s neck and leaned her forehead against the angel’s, “And… I don’t think we’d have noticed if not for you. We stole that tech to help and we didn’t even use it right.”

“Well, you are an idiot,” chided Catra as she ran a hand through Adora’s hair.

“Yeah. Your idiot.”

Catra purred and smiled slowly. She inhaled and closed her eyes for a minute, “So. Plan?”

“Oh that’s easy,” smirked Adora. “Road trip.”

\---------

The little group had broken apart shortly after - a quick debrief on plans and destinations, with a promise to regroup in the morning once everyone had recharged the batteries, so to speak. Glimmer and Bow had taken a guest room. Catra had seen the way Adora had looked as she watched the Cherub and Pink-haired girl. It was  _ happiness _ . Tenderness.

And it didn’t make Catra jealous - it was something she shared. She felt…. Happy for Bow. SHe didn’t quite understand it, but then again she wasn’t exactly in a position to criticise.

She followed, happily, as Adora pulled her towards the bedroom, the demon walking backwards, a smug smirk on her face.

“You seem… confident.”

Adora’s grin grew wider, “Oh I am. I have to come out on top on  _ something _ . You kicked my ass today. Gotta balance the scales.”   


Catra blinked and felt parts of her body thrumm with  _ interest _ . Parts of her soul too. She twitched as the bedroom door clicked shut behind her, barely having registered its passage.

She’d been in the room before, albeit briefly. After the shower. That strange, tense moment where the barriers between them were still up. Had it only been a day or so? It felt a lifetime. But that was the way of beings that existed across millennia - things either took eons. Or they were immediate. Like the flash of atoms within a supernova; or the dilation of time around a black hole; or the creak of tectonic plates.

Fast, slow, all relative. But all inevitable. 

She watched as Adora sat on the edge of the bed. She hadn’t quite registered the size. Not some straw-mattress thing from their days among the Athenians or Spartans; no unrolled fur mat here. Adora leaned back on her hands and tilted her head. Her hair cascaded down like a golden curtain.

But it was the  _ look _ she gave Catra that froze the Dominion in place.

A look of such quiet, urgent joy that it was almost terrifying for its connotations. Adora’s smile wasn’t the normal lopsided, goofy borderline smirk now. It was a small quirk of her mouth. Her blue eyes looked wet. And her throat looked full as it bobbed, as if the demon was suppressing a sob.

Catra moved closer and stepped between Adora’s legs. Slowly, tentatively, her hands came up to cradle Adora’s jaw. The demon sighed and her eyes fluttered closed, “You are here, aren’t you?”

“I’m here.”

Adora’s smile broadened, “Good. I… I worried that, for a moment… I had been banished and this… this was some trick.”

Catra bent and placed a soft kiss on Adora’s lips, “No tricks. I’m here.”

Her own voice was thick, not with lust but with the emotion of centuries. For the first time in days, they had  _ time _ . Space. The following day would bring challenges, but not that desperate flailing urgency of  _ threats _ .

The demon leaned into Catra’s kiss, her tongue threading between the Dominion’s lips. Strong hands came up to cradle Catra’s face in turn. Their breathing became ragged as they broke apart. Adora shuffled backwards on the bed and Catra crawled up after her, her tail swishing from side to side.

They froze, eyes locked on one another.

Then Catra pounced. She tackled Adora to the bed and they rolled, struggling and giggling like a pair of Virtue’s fresh from ascension. After a brief struggle Catra found herself pinned to the mattress, her wrists clamped within Adora’s steel grip. She panted and grinned up at the demon.

“That’s a new twist.”

“Got to keep on top of things, my love. Can’t be getting rusty. All that paperwork, you’re clearly out of practice.”

Catra purred and arched slightly at Adora’s words. She grinned as her eyes met Adora’s blue ones, “On top indeed. So, now what, oh tempter of the virtuous?”

Adora leaned down and nipped at Catra’s ear, which flickered. She breathed slowly out and whispered, “Oh I have a few ideas….” her tongue traced the point of the ear and Catra shuddered. Adora pulled back slightly, “If… you’re ready, of course.”   


The Dominion fixed her gaze onto Adora, her expression serious, “Adora, if you  _ don’t _ I will drag you back to Mara herself and  _ make her give you a talking to _ .”

“Did you seriously just bring up my  _ mom _ ?” Adora grinned again and squeezed her thighs around Catra’s midriff, “Because that makes it sound like you  _ don’t _ want us to get to know each other…”

“Adora….” Catra actually blinked at the sound of her own voice. She didn’t  _ whine _ . She was a DOMINION.

“Oh  _ hello _ ,” Adora lowered her face again, her smile now impish and  _ delighted _ , “Do that again.”

“No,” growled Catra. She pulled at Adora’s wrists, albeit without any  _ real  _ exertion. Adora tightened her grip.

“If you do, then I’ll…” Adora trailed her tongue up Catra’s throat, which drew a shuddered breath from the angel, “Keep using my tongue.”

This was just Adora being  _ physical _ . Catra could feel their  _ soulselves _ in the immaterium - vast, complex extensions of themselves - as they brushed against one another. The sensation of Adora’s tongue was echoed by tendrils of  _ meaning _ and  _ purpose  _ that trailed gently over her soul’s very strands. She tingled inside and out.

_ “More _ ,” she managed. Adora growled at that, a rumble similar to the noise she;d made in the alleyway, but restrained.

A noise interrupted them and they froze. A rhythmic sound. Accompanied by high pitched… yelps? The demon and angel stared at one another, then their gazes drifted to the wall. The wall, beyond which, lay the living room. And beyond  _ that _ lay the guest room.

It sounded like…  _...es… es… esssss…!!! _

Slowly their gazes tracked back to one another. Adora bit her lip and her eyes went wide. Catra wrinkled her nose and winced, “They… don’t… waste time, do they?”

Adora snorted and sagged as she buried her face into the mattress, trying to muffle her laughter. Catra cackled and wheezed, her tail flicking about. She coiled it around Adora’s leg as they both drew breath. The demon propped herself up, her grip around Catra’s wrists loosening slightly, “Well, he is a Cherub. I should expect him to be….” the demon made a vague gesture.

“I wouldn’t know. Not my area,” drawled Catra with a smirk of her own. She eyed the demon, her gaze roving across Adora’s body, still encased in her belted, strappy attire, “And you… are far too dressed.”

Adora blinked, “What… I… didn’t they…. Kill the mood?”

Catra reached up and clasped Adora’s face, “I have waited  _ how _ long? YOU need to burn off the demon funk so you don't get all happy-drunk. I need to feel you because, right now _I am not feeling you and that is terrible._ And also… are you going to let them  _ win _ ?”

The demon blinked, then grinned. Her teeth seemed sharper, her eyes maybe glowing ever so slightly. Catra purred with her victory as Adora's gaze became hooded and her smile quirked into that cocky one full of promise. The demon spoke, her voice a drawn out, husky drawl, “Well… we can’t have that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SPICYLIFE!
> 
> So, yeah, this is me... leaving that hanging there. I'm cruel. Mainly because I am CONSIDERING a spicy chapter. I want to go full steam ahead into PLOTTTTT buuut... well...
> 
> I could do a standalone scene between this chapter and the next OR try my hand for a short, more "racy" chapter ;)
> 
> As ever - thoughts, feelings, feedback. We're building!


	25. Le Petite Morte - Interlude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An erotic encounter as the Demon and the Dominion come together.
> 
> An explicit chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please be advised - this is SPICY. There's a little bit of heart-to-heart at the end beyond a line break. But you can safely skip this chapter and NOT miss out on plot.
> 
> If you decide not to - do let me know if I got it right!
> 
> The next chapter should be online now too, so feel free to go ahead!

Catra was no stranger to the more carnal aspects of mortal existence. No angel was, really - you don’t go for several millennia dealing with all forms of life and their intricacies without picking up _something_. Especially with the Greeks. Alcibiades ALONE had been a font of… everything. 

And of course new angels came from… somewhere. Many ascended. Many were _created_ by Mara. Most came from that most basic building block of creation.

Love.

Most angels were very much _involved_ with their partner - their sun and moon, as it were. Physicality was less important, the bond between two beings on a spiritual, ethereal level that transcended all mortal concerns. Incomparable. Special. Unrivaled.

Catra, currently, was beginning to _doubt_ that.

Her evidence was Adora’s mouth. Her tongue. The simple, feathery kisses against her neck had her mind fluttering like a feather in the wind. And that was only against her _neck._

Adora had both of Catra’s hands pinned above the Dominion’s head, whilst her other hand gently cradled the angel’s face and tilted her chin back. Adora trailed her tongue from Catra’s collarbone to her jaw and made a satisfied noise more akin to a growl. Catra sighed and the demon nipped gently at her ear, that tongue tracing the pointed line again. She could feel Adora’s breath - warm, filled with heated promise.

Angels had mortal lovers. Zeus… Zeus had been the _poster boy_ for that. A whole load of issues that needed resolution after _he’d_ gotten carried away. Catra had had a few; but they’d been… well, it’d been like indulging in a jar of wine - an _activity_ ; a thing to pass the time.

And the way that Adora nuzzled at her and adjusted her legs in a way that pressed a thigh between Catra’s own… well it seemed Adora wasn’t exactly a stranger to sex. And that thought was an _odd_ one. She felt a fire in her gut, an ember of jealousy and a jolt of arousal at the image of Adora in the act. Both fueled a surge of intense _intent_ to be the person who was Adora’s sole focus from now on. Until the stars burned out and the void consumed all.

 _Hers_ . _Mine_.

The memory of the flight stewardess drifted into her mind - that sense of guilt even _during_ interacting with her. The possibility of _knowing_ her in the carnal way - it paled to _this._

No experience equalled the feel of Adora’s breath against the hollow of her throat, the trail of fingertips down her side, the ache that pooled in her core and made her thighs rub together in anticipation.

Her eyes fluttered and she found herself being regarded by a pair of blue eyes. Adora’s pupils were blown to make them almost back. A lazy smirk stretched across Adora’s face and she licked her lips. Catra swallowed and _mewled_ , which made Adora grin wider, “Still with me, love?”

How could Adora have _that_ expression and sound so… tender? The demon’s fingers trailed up Catra’s side again and pressed against her for a moment. The Dominion nodded and managed a smirk of her own, “Just, y’know, dozing. Anything happening or are you just stuck?”

Adora quirked an eyebrow and leaned forwards. Her tongue lolled out and touched her chin, then curled back up into her mouth, “Just setting the mood. Feeling _bratty_ are we? Guess I need to break you of that.”

“I’d be more convinced if you’d done something about all this clothing,” Catra tried for a sneer, but it came out breathy.

“Don’t you dare magic it away, my love,” Adora growled the words out and her free hand gripped the front of Catra’s shirt. There was a tearing noise and Catra gasped as the garment was torn from her. Adora tossed the ragged front over her shoulder where it burst into flame and flashed into drifting ash. Catra wasn’t wearing a bra and her furred breasts were bare to the bedroom light. Adora’s gaze raked over her hungrily, an act that made Catra feel vulnerable and desired in equal measure.“Better. But still _far too much_.”

She released Catra’s wrists, but the Dominion felt compelled to keep them above her head - not by any supernatural force, but because it felt… right. The demon cupped Catra’s jaw and brought their lips together. The kiss echoed through into the immaterium, they soul-selves entwined and glowing whiteblack amidst a colourless void. Tendrils tangled across forms that shifted between draconic beasts and smooth feminine sculptures, their bodies entwined and clasping at one another. The beings blended, spiralled and flickered with muted light.

In the real, the pair broke apart and drew in heavy breaths. Adora’s grin wasn’t cocky, but full of wonder, “Wow.”

Catra blinked, “Never… like that. Before.”

Adora’s eyebrow arched, “We comparing with your Grecian… lovers,” the word grated out. The room’s lights flickered. Catra arched an eyebrow of her own and brought her hands up to clasped the back of Adora’s head. Her eyes bored into the demon’s.

“We can talk about which of us is the bigger idiot after you’ve smashed this bed to pieces,” her breath was panted out, her desire palpable.

Mortal bodies _really_ did a number on you. Mortal bodies with _cat_ elements even more so it seemed.

Adora’s expression darkened again, but for a different reason. Her smile was mischievous now. She pushed Catra back then pulled the Dominion’s jacket down her arms, trapping them against her side, “Mine.”

“Yours. Forever,” choked out Catra as Adora’s mouth descended to her breast. She shuddered as a tongue trailed across her chest, gasped as lips suckled against a puckered nipple, “Always… yours.”

She squirmed as Adora tongued her way down Catra’s torso, then fell back against the mattress. She managed to lift her head to watch as Adora knelt up between her legs. The demon cocked her head and waggled a finger, “Too many clothes.”

Tortuously slowly, she unbuckled Catra’s belt, then her trouser buttons, then slid the garment down, slowly. As it came away, she pressed a kiss against Catra’s mons and the angel bucked up to try to gain contact, _any_ contact. Adora’s chuckle was deep and she ghosted a searingly hot breath across Catra’s tender core. The angel rocked her head to one side and mewled again.

“Don’t… tease… me.”

“Consider this _payback_ ,” the words were a growl, but said with a hint of amusement. Catra huffed and her hips twitched again. She looked up and swallowed and Adora stood, her body reacting to this apparent loss of contact. Adora cocked a hip, revealed through the cut of her outfit, and placed a hand on it. She tapped her lips and smiled again. Behind her, the ghost of black wings fanned out and the lights of the room flickered again.

In the immaterium, the two beings split apart, that draconic ideal swirling in a spiral around a milk-white carving of a woman who reached up for an unseen goal.

Catra panted as Adora slid her hands across the outfit, dragged her fingers across the front of the bodice and then moved them behind her neck. There was the sound of metal on metal and the bodice fell away in strips, revealing Adora’s naked torso. Her breasts were pert and firm but still sagged down slight, released from their prison. Catra’s eyes drank in the firm plane of Adora’s abs and the cant of her hips. She swallowed as Adora fixed her gaze on Catra’s blue and amber eyes.

The demon dragged her fingers down her collar and then clasped her own breasts, “You want to taste these, my love?” Catra nodded, “You want to get on your knees and pray to me?”

Catra moaned and writhed. She could easily sit up, discard her ruined shirt and jacket, take Adora. But she wouldn’t. She whimpered and snarled. Adora smiled, then trailed her hands between her breasts, down to her pants. With a flick, the button came loose, the belt was discarded. They slid down pale thighs with ease, peeled away like a second skin. 

Adora stood there, naked, radiant. She oozed confidence. Control. Unshackled from any other burden other than _this_.

Catra knew that when Adora put her mind to something, it got _done_.

She was screwed.

In the _best way._

Adora stalked forwards and crawled back onto the bed. Her hands slid over Catra’s ankles, while the Dominion’s tail lashed and writhed between them. The demon glanced down at it and smiled, “That is going to behave, isn’t it?”

Catra met her gaze and smirked. Adora huffed, then gripped Catra’s ankles and lifted them, before she slid her hands down furred legs to grip at Catra’s thighs. She kissed behind Catra’s knee, then trailed her tongue across the angel’s skin. The Dominion whined and arched her back at the teasing. Adora moved to the other leg, then settled between Catra’s thighs. Kisses and sharp nips of teeth edged ever closer to her core.

Catra’s tail wound around Adora’s wrist and she managed a hoarse, “Adoraaa…”

And then that tongue raked from base to clit and Catra squealed.

Their soul selves danced and the draconic form suddenly wrapped tight around the statue’s hips. The marble flowed into a serpent of its own to coil about the fire-drake, which in turn spiralled into bright shadow as they danced and flared.

Catra felt her legs go over Adora’s shoulders. Her heels pressed into the demon’s firm back. She scrabbled, arms still constricted, but her claws sank into the mattress and _shredded_ . Her calves trampled and she drummed a beat against Adora, her tail tightened, as Adora traced her tongue through warm folds. She mewled again as that tongue pushed _into_ her. Further than a mortal tongue ever could. It was so _warm_ and her voice became a gurgle.

Catra’s eyes fluttered as she stared at the ceiling. She bit her lip, trying to contain her noises, some part of her wanting to deny Adora the satisfaction. Bratty, yes, but it was _fun_ . She lifted her head to look down and groaned as blue eyes met hers. The tongue slid against her again, then Adora sealed her lips around Catra’s clit and _sucked_.

Heat, pressure, warmth. Catra’s mind fizzed and she _screamed._ There was a crash as her wings manifested and slammed a lamp off the bedside table into the wall. The lights flared and another bulb exploded.

She panted as the orgasm coursed through her, little shockwaves hitting while Adora carefully layered dotting kisses and licks against her. As she sagged, she glanced down again, only to see Adora’s grin. Catra managed a croaked, “Don’t you d-” before she was flipped onto her front. Strong hands gripped the jacket and there was a flash of heat, the clothing burnt to ash around her. The heat didn’t touch her skin beyond a faint tingle.

Catra turned her head and glared at Adora, but it was a weak attempt. It came out as a more incredulous eye roll. Then she fisted her hands into the sheets as Adora leaned over her back and bit down into Catra’s neck, whilst also sliding two fingers into the angel’s dripping centre. Catra lolled her head back and couldn’t resist pushed her hips back against the contact.

“Good girl,” purred Adora, “So very good for me. No one else.”

“Yours, fucking… dammit,” croaked Catra, “All yours.”

Adora suckled at the point she’d bitten Catra, “After this, I’m going to sit on your face and cum all over you. You want that?"

“Want.. .want to feel you. All of you,” whimpered Catra. She snarled and turned her head. Adora’s eyes had faint tints of red in them, “Let it out. Let it _all_ out Adora. You can do better…”

The demon blinked and grinned. A flash of flame and her horns were out, her fingers not breaking their relentless movement. Catra managed to bring one arm up to caress Adora’s jaw, then she pulled her in for a searing kiss. Their tongues fought as Catra sagged against the mattress and she felt Adora’s free arm come round to support her. She bucked and screamed into Adora’s mouth, then sagged back. Adora slowed her movements, then slid out gently. Catra blinked, her expression glassy, then she reached up and grabbed Adora’s horns. The demon blinked in surprise as Catra yanked her down for another searing kiss. They parted, but Catra didn’t let go. Instead she guided Adora back down, and wrapped her thighs around the demon’s head.

She smirked again, even as she panted, “Get to it… and then… then we’ll see what noises _you_ make.”

Adora grinned and set to it. Catra gripped the horns like her life depended on it. Her wings spasmed as they manifested again, this time cracking the bedside table in two. She bent, her whole body curling up as she clamped her thighs around Adora’s head., her tail coiling around the woman she loved with every fibre of her being and soul. Her voice came out as half yowl half shriek as she tried to almost pull Adora harder against her.

With a gasp, she fell back and stared at the ceiling. She looked down as Adora huffed and grinned up at her, the blonde’s chin glistening with Catra’s slick. She swallowed again as Adora’s tongue slid out and licked it up. Adora’s grin broadened, “Guess I know what I’m having for breakfast in bed.”

Catra sagged back and groaned, “You are the _worst_ . I see why you fell now. Not some grand conspiracy, but _father jokes_.”

Adora’s weight shifted and Catra smiled as she felt the blonde drag herself up and over Catra’s nude form. She shivered at the sensation of naked breasts grazing against her, the sighed with content as Adora pressed their bodies together. The demon nuzzled Catra’s nose and then kissed her softly.

They stayed like that for a moment, gently kissing, before Catra pushed Adora back. Her mismatched eyes fixed on Adora and she grinned, “I’m hungry. I think you mentioned you were going to sit on me?”

Adora grinned, then shuffled up. A moment later and her muscular thighs were either side of Catra’s head and the angel found herself presented with the beautiful sight of Adora’s folds. She drew in the scent of Adora’s arousal and teased a gentle lick over the wet centre. Adora shuddered and Catra looked up to see the demon brace herself against the headboard. Catra’s grin was downright _devious_. Her arms threaded around Adora’s thighs and she yanked the girl down.

She showed no mercy, trailing her rough tongue across Adora’s centre, then swirling around her clit. The demon grunted and panted above her - not _enough_ for Catra’s liking. She slid a hand up and teased Adora’s entrance with a finger, then pushed one in. A second later she added another. Adora’s vocal pitch shifted higher to a near squeak. The window nearby frosted over suddenly and Catra’s smirk deepend. She thrust upward and reached up with one arm as Adora bent over slightly. She palmed Adora’s chest and gently squeezed the demon’s breasts. She could see the pale skin reddening and Adora’s breath became laboured.

She extended her claws and raked them gently across Adora’s torso letting fine red lines pop up, but not breaking skin. Adora whined, a beautiful, rare sound and Catra exulted. Her own pussy throbbed in response, but they had all night. And the stamina of supernatural beings.

She nipped at the edges of Adora’s centre and trailed more harsh licks across her, lapping at the heavenly taste - sweet with a sharp, earth feel.

In the immaterium, the two forms were almost as one, one began where the other ended, the dragon and the serpent, the cloud and the tree, two forms of femininity coild about one another, in balance.

Adora went stiff then arched her back, her mouth open in a silent scream. The wallpaper caught fire, then doused, the ice on the windows suddenly became steam and the glass frosted with cracks as the temperature shifted so rapidly. Catra clung to Adora’s thighs as the blonde bucked and shuddered above her. She grinned in triumph as the demon had to brace herself against the headboard, then chuckled as Adora slumped onto the mattress.

She slid up alongside Adora, who was blinking back into focus. The blonde gave her a dozy grin, her horns now gone, her tattooed form heaving with exertion as her skin flushed, “That… wow.”

“Uh huh,” Catra drawled a satisfied noise then trailed her hand up Adora’s thigh. The demon met her gaze and her breathing began to hitch. It ceased entirely as Catra slid fingers inside once more. She nuzzled against Adora’s jaw and purred into her ear, “Let’s see how many more you’ve got in you.”

\-------

Four hours later it was like a warzone. Ice and fire had ruined the room. The mattress was shredded. The bedframe was broken in three places. All the bulbs were blow and there were dents in the wall.

Catra slumped across Adora’s chest and panted, whilst Adora detached some manner of strap from her waist. She has just pummeled Catra from behind for the fifth? Sixth time? That was how the mattress had been utterly ruined. Third time, admittedly, had resulted in the bed frame cracking in two, as Adora had hoisted Catra up against her chest, hand around the Dominion’s throat, other hand on her clit, whilst she railed her against the end of the bed.

Catra had returned the favour with her whip binding Adora’s wrists behind her, of course. Kept the demon spread eagled, face planted against the duvet, whilst she drew out another orgasm with her fingers.

Back and forth, like a battle, a duel… a dance. A game. A tide.

Balance.

Their soulselves as one, an ebb and flow, a never changing orbit as they found themselves and became as one.

Catra trailed a finger across the lines of one of Adora’s tattoos, whilst the demon scratched at the base of Catra’s mane. The Dominion purred with content. She looked up and their gazes met, followed by a tender kiss. Full of promise, forgiveness and hope.

Adora swallowed, a rare expression of vulnerability on her face, “I am… yours, right?”

Catra traced her jaw with a claw, “Never forget it. No one comes between us,” she swallowed thickly, a sudden surge of guilt and regret present in her gut, “So… so much missed _time_. I… I wish.”

Lips met again and Adora let out a hushing noise, “I know you said we’d work out who the bigger idiot was, Catra,” she chuckled, “Let’s call it a tie. What’s eternity to us? Let me say, as someone who _gets_ jealousy in a way you don’t… I am _fine_. I understand the past. We are here now. And forever. If… if you’re sure.” 

Unstoppable juggernaut of demonic rage though she was, Adora was still… Adora. Still the angel who had put herself between others and pain. Had sacrificed her own joy. Had been betrayed. Catra ran her hands into Adora’s blonde hair and gripped her. She rolled to prop herself up and her wings came into view. White and radiant, they wrapped above the pair like an awning.

“Look at me. I faced down a Seraph. I will walk through the plains of Erathel, the lakes of Tartarus and face the wrath of your _mom_ if need be. I choose _you_. I should’ve said so centuries ago. I assumed… I assumed you would always be there. And then you left… and it hurt. But… but it wasn’t your fault And it just made me realise I should’ve been the one to say something.”

Adora huffed and looked away, then looked back, “I should’ve too. I was… going to when, y’know. Silly demonic curse thing hit,” she chuckled morosely, then carded her fingers through Catra’s mane, “And… no one, nothing will get between you and me ever again. I can’t give you up Catra. I won’t. Not again.”

“Good. You’re not a complete idiot.”

“Just your idiot. But, just so we’re clear… no more flight hostesses, ok?” Adora’s eyes flickered red for a moment, her form becoming hot enough to steam the room for a split second. Catra arched an eyebrow, then licked her tongue up Adora’s cheek. The blonde blinked in surprise and let out an _ewww_.

“You didn’t mind my tongue doing that somewhere else five minutes ago,“ purred Catre. She poked Adora’s cheek, “No air hostesses. And she _wasn’t_ going to be one anyway. She wasn’t _you_. You are it. I can _feel_ you. I can practically hear your thoughts rattling in that hollow head.”

“Rude.”

“Fact. This is it, Adora. Us. The most important thing to me… is you. No one compares, no one _will_ compare. You’re stuck now.”

Adora grinned then pulled Catra close. Her spare hand yanked a duvet up over them. Or what was left of it. She huffed with mock disapproval, “Kitty got _claws_ …. I need new sheets.”

“Oh like you’re complaining.”

“Never.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay or nay all?
> 
> Lemme know ;)


	26. What cannot die did not live

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Road Trip Begins
> 
> Curious investigations
> 
> Adora sees something familiar

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AND HERE'S YOUR PLOT. If you wanted to skip the smut, I mean.
> 
> We're going into some FUN STUFF soon, fear not. It's about to get TWISTYYYY.
> 
> Enjoy!

Blue skies, wind, _freedom_. It was like flying, but being grounded at the same time. Catra tightened her grip around Adora’s waist as they roared along the interstate. It was a straight line ahead and behind, no other traffic, save the black car a mile or so back. Catra had elected (obviously) to stick with her love on the next step of their expedition.

Plus she didn’t want to be in the same vehicle watching Glimmer slobber all over Bow. It was disgusting.

Hypocritical of her, maybe, but she was a Dominion and an agent of heaven - she had a right to be contrary.

So, she’d left Lonnie and Frosta to handle that.

It had been amusing enough the morning prior, as Glimmer and Bow had emerged from their room, glowing with much the same radiance (Metaphorical _and_ actual) as Adora and Catra. And more amusing when Glimmer had met Catra’s gaze and gone, “I guess you guys were _slightly_ louder.”

Adora had goggled Bow had sputtered and Catra had actually snorted. That was the moment she’d decided that Sparkles wasn’t a terrible entity. That didn’t mean she wanted to have to share a town car with her and Bow as they got _feisty_. Though with him being a Cherub, she supposed that was his whole job description. Tools of the trade.

And, frankly, when her options were _stuffy cramped town car_ and _pressed against the back of your soulmate_ the choice was obvious. Add to that they were on Swiftwind, with the air streaming their hair behind them, the sun beating down, it was _certainly_ no contest.

The previous day had been one of planning - Mermista flying to another part of the country to investigate one of the more recent Micah sightings - a recent death, apparently; the magi had been debriefed and dismissed, along with a generous payment for their services. Along with a binding geas to ensure they didn’t betray confidences, just in case.

And their little cohort - Lonnie, Frosta and the _other_ sickeningly cute couple were joining Adora and Catra in investigating another site of Micah leads - a line of cities a few hours apart, where the dopplegangers had lived. All of them were dead now, but it was a place to start, to establish a pattern, to work out what the heck was going on.

Ultimately, Micah was a key piece of the puzzle. In Catra’s mind, Light Hope was implicated in _something_. A coup, perhaps; an assassination attempt on the Heavenly Heir, maybe. Or she was a useful idiot for the true mastermind. A duke of hell? Prime?

It raised too many queries - an agent of Hell gaining access to Heaven was _impossible_ . The frequency of energies and the various layers of the Eternal City, the Golden Throne, were actively _hostile_ to demonic auras. Or they were these days, since the War at least. The Eternal City had _changed_ \- perhaps due to Mara, perhaps in response to Shadow Weaver, no one really knew.

Little things like that served to remind Catra that the Celestial beings were not all powerful, not the arbiters of fate or the universe - they were custodians. Facilitators of a grander design. Mara’s will, perhaps, but tied into something so vast that even immortal beings of cosmic authority were as mayflies to it. Eldritch creatures like Prime were mere parasites on something vaster.

The universe had its own agenda, they merely sat atop it and guided the rivulets of fate and fortune.

She huddled closer and pressed her cheek against Adora’s back, where her outfit split to reveal bare flesh. A mere day ago she had felt that flesh move beneath her, clutched at Adora’s horns as the demon drove the Dominion to heights unparalleled. Their coupling had forged a bond between their very souls and she could practically hear Adora’s thoughts now. Not read her mind, but she could _feel_ the joy in the demon’s being at being on the road; her warmth and _happiness_ at Catra’s presence; the anticipation of what the future held.

And she could also feel the rage; the ever present anger and worry that boiled at the centre of her _soul mate_.

For that’s what they were. What they had always been, really. Just Catra had been too oblivious to really spot it; or rather she _had_ known, but she’d assumed Adora hadn’t been aware… and Catra had assumed they would always _be_ . That _something_ would happen when fate aligned.

Her passivity and lack of courage had cost her - so many decades _lost_ because she’d just contented herself. Adora shouldered some of the blame, but Catra found it harder to fault the girl - heir to Heaven itself, riddled with expectations of duty and sacrifice, fearful of losing Catra, or putting Catra in a position of having to choose. Or even, as Adora had quietly confessed in the dark, of having Catra see her _differently_. That fear, unfounded though it was, that Catra might have seen her as… something distant.

It had broken Catra’s heart and she;d made sure Adora had _known_ Catra did see her differently - as something Catra could not exist without.

Human ideals of soulmates were quaint. The reality was much more visceral, _in the moment_.

Catra felt the bike slow and looked up as Adora pulled to the side of the road. The demon turned her upper body around and tilted Catra’s chin up, “You’re thinking hard. I can _feel_ your guilt.”

The Dominion huffed and glared at her love, “I’m beginning to think this whole… emotional connection is a bit of a cheat.”

Adora’s smile became smug, “You didn’t think that when I…”

“We are _not_ discussing a sexual feedback loop on the back of your bike on a highway,” growled Catra. Adora snorted.

“What, you want to act it out instead? I could just kick the revs up, see if that.”

Catra flicked Adora’s forehead, “Shut up, idiot. How far out are we anyway?”

“Whaaat? You like me, admit it.”

The Dominion met her gaze, then gripped Adora by the back of her head and yanked her in for a kiss. They broke apart and Adora looked dazed. Catra grinned smugly, “I don’t like you, dummy,” she hugged against Adora’s back and purred, “I _love_ you.”

Adora sighed happily and Catra felt the demon _relax_ further. The bike revved again and they peeled back onto the road. Catra heard the rumble of words from Adora, “I love you too.”

  
  


\---------------------

The cemetery on the outskirts of town was a fairly desolate place. The countryside was all rolling grasslands and cornfields; the town little more than a high street and a water tower. The cemetery was surprisingly large, mainly with white crossed and the odd tasteless tombstone.

The group stood in front of one of the graves and exchanged glances. Lonnie chewed her lip and stared at Catra, “So, um… anything?”

Around them, the breeze wafted the grass beyond the fence that lined the cemetery. It smelled of dew and lemon. Catra, who currently looked human, chewed her lip and tapped a foot. The Dominion glanced up at the group and shook her head.

“I… can’t sense anything. No wards, either. It’s… mortal remains.”

She looked up, towards the entrance to the graveyard - Adora and Glimmer stood there, the pink haired demon hunched over, with her arms wrapped around herself. The reality that this _could_ be something connected to her father had hit her as they’d walked in. The demons had stopped at the threshold, tentative. Holy ground and all. 

Bow looked across the grounds to Glimmer, then back to Catra, “What does that _mean_?”

Catra shook her head, “Not… sure. It could be coincidence - the universe just making him look like Glimmer’s father. But… I think we need to check if these are genuine remains. If this is an empty grave or not. If it is… then this is Micah using it as cover.”

Lonnie groaned, “We’re _desecrating_ holy ground.”

That got a chuckle from Frosta, “If it’s _angels_ doing the work, is it really desecration?”

“And anyway, this is… offal. The important bit went away,” hummed Catra, “Or do you venerate the lion when it eats a person?”

Lonnie stared at her, “You… are really weird, y’know that right?”

The Dominion shrugged, “I am… not human.”

“Y’all got that right. Who else causes a block wide power outage and street orgy just by getting it on,” grumbled Lonnie.

The side effects of Adora and Catra’s _letting loose_ after their fight had, in spite of the wards, had some rather interesting ripple effects on the buildings around them. Catra waved a dismissive hand, “Case in point.”

Frosta grunted then frowned. A shovel appeared in her hands, made entirely from ice, “So, guess we’re doing this?”

Bow goggled then gestured at the grave, “Um, maybe Lonnie has a _point_?”

“Don’t get squeamish. After all… we need the bones if Lonnie is going to summon the spirit of dear departed daddy.”

Lonnie blinked, then stared at Catra, “Say _what_ now?”

The Dominion waved a hand, “Well not _summon_ , but maybe… zero in? If it’s a mortal who looked like him, we can talk to the soul… or see if it’s upstairs or downstairs…”

“I am not some… necromancer,” huffed Lonnie.

“But you’ve done a seance or two. That’s all this is. Just with more readily accessible raw materials.”

“Seems a bit… demonic, though?” Lonnie sounded uncertain. Catra barked a laugh.

“You have read the Key of Solomon, right? The old biblical magics? The blood sacrifice thing? It WORKS. It’s not the magic, it’s how you use it and the motivation that instructs morality. You _know_ this Lonnie.”

The dreadlocked girl huffed and planted hands on hips, “Yeah I _know_ . I just… I don’t like dealing with dead people. Y’know? They’re… confused. Needy. _Lost_.”

Catra glanced at Bow and shrugged, “We’ll make it quick. Bow, can you sketch out a circle with Lonnie? Frosta and I will get our guest ready.”

Frosta set to immediately, whilst Catra headed to the entrance to check on their attending demons. Adora frowned past her, towards the grave, “Is it Micah?”

“Seems mortal,” mused Catra, as she glanced back as well. She looked to Glimmer, “We’re going to see if we can summon the soul. If there are remains, I mean.”

Glimmer looked up. Her face, so smug and arch usually, was now pensive. Her gaze slid to Bow, working in the cemetery with Lonnie, then moved back to Catra, “So if it isn’t dad, we’ll get an explanation… and if, somehow it _is_ dad… we’ll get, what?”

“A trace on his essence. Archangels have a _lot_. And your father was powerful.”

Adora nodded at that, “Scarily so. He _should_ have been a Seraph. But Micah was… humble.”

Glimmer swallowed, “Yeah… yeah I remember.”

Catra tentatively reached out and patted Glimmer on the shoulder, “We’ll, um… we’ll find him.” Her hand dropped and she offered a shrug, then hugged one arm and looked at Adora, “Can I borrow you? To dig?”

“You want me to walk onto holy ground?” deadpanned Adora.

“Hey, I said I’d walk across Tartarus for you,” smiled Catra, “And… well, I want to see if you can. We need to know if there are limits, where we can and can’t go. You could just lend me your sword, to dig, I mean.”

“You want my sword. My heavenly blade. My star-forged, fate honed steel. My demoncially corrupted _self sword…._ To be used as a shovel.”

Catra met Adora’s blank gaze and winced slightly, “Yes?”

“Ok!” Adora smiled brightly, then stepped into the cemetery. She hissed in pain as her skin reddened immediately, albeit faintly. Her horns burst forth and she grunted with exertion. After a moment she shook herself and trudged forwards. Catra walked alongside her.

“Ok this was a stupid idea.. Go on, Adora just…”

“No… no I got this. It tingles.”

“You’re RED.”

“Mild pink, y’know? It’s… hnng… good for the pores. Plus, it’s only _parts_ of my body. Being not-quite-fallen probably helps.”

Catra fussed and chewed her lip as they walked to the grave. Adora hissed again as she held her hand out. A flash of blue flame and her sword appeared. It shifted, the flaming blade widening for a moment. Then, with a fluid move, Adora spun the sword and drove it into the soil. Steam burst forth, along with golden light. Electricity and light danced along the blade's edge as Adora dragged it through the soil. She carved out the edge of the grave, then yanked the sword free.

The grass wilted and blackened, then turned to ash. Adora bent and, with a grun, lifted the turf _wholesale_ out of the grave - a need cuboid of soil, baked into a block. She lifted it away and laid it down next to the grave. Beneath, they all stared down at a simple plywood coffin. Catra hopped into the grave and hauled the box out, then ripped the lid away. Frosta peered inside and frowned.

“Does… that look like Micah?”

Adora huffed and quirked an eyebrow, “Sort of? Bit desiccated, y’know. Similar bone structure but… something’s off.”

Lonnie chose that moment to approach and wince, “Jeez, warn a girl before you pop one out. So, uhh… huh. When did this guy _die?”_

Frosta checked her phone, “Hmmm… ten years ago, apparently.”

“He’s… pretty fresh for a decade old corpse,” mused Adora. She scratched her arm then looked at Catra, “I’m going to go back outside… itchy now.”

“Alright babe. We’ve got this,” Catra gave the demon a quick peck on the lips and then returned her gaze to the body. She glanced at Lonnie, who had a smirk on her face, “What?”

“You guys are… it’s kinda gross.”

“You don’t _have_ to watch.”

“Not exactly got a choice. So… what do we do?”

“Well… let’s raise someone's spirits,” grinned Catra. Frosta facepalmed.

Moments later, they had the remains laid out in the middle of a circle. Another circle had been set up, with the Scroll to the Archive laid within it. Kyle appeared within its bounds a moment later, a pensive look on his face, “ _My lady?”_

Catra turned to him, “Cael Han… any luck in finding our various… Micah likes?”

“ _Um… no. That’s what I wanted to say. I… I can’t find anything, beyond records of their existing. None that I can easily track within the Eternal City… yet. And no real record of where they would have gone.”_

Catra frowned, “There should be a destination for a departed soul.”

“ _There’s records of them existing, but no… destination. Or incomplete records. It’s like the Archives are…. They’re TRYING to find them. But I keep getting blank scrolls, or tomes that don’t stop turning their pages._ ”

That was troubling, “So there is something to find, but they’re being…. Stopped?”

“ _Maybe. It’s strange.”_

“And this is for every name on the list? The ones who died?”

“ _Not a great ratio. We found the souls of two… but they don’t look like Micah at all. Got tentative leads on maybe three more that aren't dead ends.”_

“Really? Can you… interview them? Find out cause of death, activity, that sort of thing?”

_“Rogelio is on it already. He’s um… more convincing.”_

“Have some faith in yourself, babe,” that was Lonnie. She froze, then looked up. Catra arched an eyebrow and smiled.

“Oh, please. Don’t let me interrupt.”

Bow snickered, then looked up at Lonnie and tapped the gem on his chest. It glowed. She sighed and smiled at Kyle, “You ok?”

“ _Missing you,”_ Catra didn’t know whether to roll her eyes or gush. And she _never_ gushed. A glance over at Adora made her amend that internal monologue to _never gushed about anyone not blonde and partially demonic_.

The Dominion straightened and looked at Lonnie, “We’ll get you guys a nice motel room with space for a circle and… you can video-cyber whatever you need to do.”

Frosta balked, “Please don’t tell me you just told Lonnie to… cyber sex the Virtue?”

“If it calms her down, then she should totally do the whole long distance thing,” Catra waved a hand airly, “So, can we try?”

Lonnie made a disgruntled noise, then stood from beside the circle, “Let’s just… deal with this. Then you and I are going to talk _boundaries_ again, Catra.”

The Dominion waved at her to proceed. With a sigh, Lonnie began to recite in Creole. She walked the circle’s perimeter, castin salt and bending to light candles as she paused her incantations. She beseech an audience with the departed, called for favours from the afterlife; stated the presence of holy messengers as guarantees for safe passage for the departed soul.

The breeze stilled. Birds ceased their chatter. The temperature plummeted and ice crystalised across the tombstones and the corpse.

Something materialised above the body. It came together slowly, like jagged jigsaw pieces exploding in reverse. And yet, as it hung there, it was incomplete.

It looked nothing like the corpse.

The face was the wrong shape. Also, it was _half_ a face. The one visible eye contorted in pain. The inside of the soul’s head was visible and utterly hollow. Chunks were missing across the spirit, as if some parts had been torn away. Fragments removed. It had no right arms, and half its left leg was gone. Holes dotted its torso.

It _looked_ male. A straggly bear; the set of the jaw, the brow ridge, what was left of it. Catra stared.

She noticed other things- the thin tendrils of black and green that snaked a few inches from where the missing elements of the soul existed. The vacant stare in the pain ridden face.

_Let. Me. Die._

The words hung in the air. Catra breathed out, but Lonnie spoke, “Spirit tell us your name.”

_Name gone. He is gone. Had no name but his. Let me die._

“Is this your body?”

_No more._

“You are dead already.”

_Not yet. Not enough. We are free but we are chained. We were one, not sundered. Lost. Please, let me die. It hurts_

“Who did this to you?” murmurred Catra.

_I… We… I do not. Know. I do not remember._

“Are you archangel Micah,” ventured Bow.

_No._

Catra deflated slightly, “DId you know him?”

_Yes. No. No more. Let me die._

“What happened. You are… incomplete.”

_Taken. Broken. Captured. Held. Let me die._

Catra chewed her lip again and frowned at those strange, green tendrils that writhed from the souls wounds. Familiar. Alien as well.

“Demon curse,” growled a voice behind her. Catra turned and saw Adora glaring at the soul. Steam rose from her skin, her horns and wings now clearly visible. They sizzled and spat sparks as she shifted her weight.

“What?” Catra felt suddenly adrift, “It’s _similar_ . But… it doesn’t _feel_ …”

Adora levelled a finger at the spirit, “Someone curse his soul. Ripped it apart.”

“How… do you know?” queried Lonnie, “A speciality of yours?”

Adora met her gaze, “Because it’s the same _spell_ that did this to _me_.”

The group paused and exchanged glances. The spirit focused on Adora.

_Know you. You live._

They zeroed in on that. Adora glared at the spirit and said nothing. Catra licked her lips and tried another tack, “Have you met this woman before.

_No. I have not. We have. He did. Let me die._

“Who!” growled Catra, “WHO met her?”

_We in life. Before. I do not remember. It hurts to remember. Let me die. Please. Anchored. Broken. Cold._

Adora seethed, “Someone tore him apart. He can’t move on. He’s _stuck._ Because someone tore away part of his soul and stuck it somewhere. We need to fix it.”

Catra stared at the soul. She felt _stumped_ . He was… it wasn’t even a _person_ . It was an echo. A remnant. Little more than the ghost that some souls left behind. Except this was a ghost _and_ a soul, “How…?”

The demon moved quickly. She reached up and _grabbed_ the soul from the circle. It shuddered and lost focus as it left the circle. Adora’s eyes flickered over the being, then she growled. There was a flash of blue flame and the spirit _screamed_. Then it was gone. Catra stared then turned on Adora.

“What did you _do?”_

“Ended his suffering. That wasn’t even a _soul_ anymore Catra.”

“You… _ended_ him? Utterly?” Catra was horrified. Adora shook her head.

“No. But… I sent him to hell.”

“What?”

“He was riven with demon curse, Catra. No _way_ he’d even make it into the Eternal city. No way he’d make it through the planes intact. Before he fragmented.”

Catra stared at Adora, felt the upset as it rolled off the demon; felt her gnawing worry and shock and guilt. Saw the expression of defiance on that beautiful face. And she knew that she had no alternatives to offer. A cursed soul, even if not at fault, required cleansing. Required angelic intervention or a run through whatever planes could rinse away the _bad_ . It wasn’t fair but it was necessary. And often a demonic or tainted curse was self inflicted. And a soul as _damaged_ as that one?

Adora was right - hell was likely the best of a bad situation - somewhere to start, to have the poison sapped away. She sagged.

“Where in hell?” she asked, gently.

Adora relaxed, “Oh… somewhere pretty tame by comparison. It’s not all barracks and chains and racks. It is… or _was_ a reformation place, remember.”

“Yeah… yeah. Hard to believe,” Catra looked at the corpse, then back at Adora, “You, young lady, need to stop sizzling. Go, shoo. We got this. Let’s… regroup in ten.”

Adora nodded and trailed a hand down Catra’s arm. Catra caught her hand and squeezed, then smiled. Adora nodded, and left, doubling over briefly with pain, before she crossed the graveyard threshold with a relieved sigh.

They reburied the corpse, which had suddenly begun to decay rapidly. Catra replaced the block of soil atop the coffin, then turned to her group, “So… what did we make of that?”

Lonnie shook her head, “Well… the soul was still _present_ around the body. Which was why it hadn’t decayed. And why he was probably, y’know, cuckoo. Half a soul anchored to a decaying flesh-sack?”

“So…. unreliable. But a potential Micah lookalike, cursed by demon magic?”

Bow tapped his chin, “Maybe… some demons took potshots? Thought it _was_ Micah, tried an opportunistic assault and they just… got a mortal who looked like him?”

“But we’ve had no demonic incursions. A murder _by_ demons?”

“We didn’t catch onto Adora…” offered Lonnie. Catra nodded grudgingly.

“Fair point. This is weird. Alright, next town. Cael Han, get me those other soul interviews, the ones up there. See if they got accosted by demons as well. We’ll check the _other_ burials before we hit the live options.”

Catra clapped her hands as Bow retrieved the scroll. Frosta eyed her and then looked at the grave, “This feels… really bad.”

The Dominion nodded, “There’s _something_ going on. Something nasty. This feels malicious. Not a _choice_.”

Frosta nodded, “Why’d the soul look so different from the body? Was it the wrong soul?”

Catra shook her head, “Not sure. I have a theory… but we need to see the next body.”

“What theory?” Bow asked as he finished clearing the circle. Catra winced.

“It’s not pretty. And if I mention it to Glimmer, she’ll likely try to punch me.”

Bow and Lonnie shared a look. The Seer planted a hand on her hip, “Spill.”

Catra folded her arms, then met their gazes, “I think Micah possessed that human.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As ever, comments feed MY soul - let me know what you think....
> 
> If you spot any glaring errors, spelling issues, please let me know. Otherwise, I just welcome feedback and chats about what you liked / have questions on / have feedback on!


	27. A town called Elberon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The investigation goes on, Catra has some theories and the team begin to dig deeper.
> 
> More confusion occurs.
> 
> A familiar face rears its head.

Three days. Three days of dusty roads and cramped conference calls. Three days of crappy kavfeh and being soothed by Adora’s skilled hands under the moon. It was a whirlwind. And also a strange blend of frustration and bliss.

Catra paced under the rotating fan of their motel room; some barely-there set of rooms in the middle of a tiny town that was mostly a trailer park. Bow and Glimmer were in a room a few doors down, whilst Frosta and Lonnie had a room on the upper floor. Well, mostly Lonnie - Frosta was spending a lot of time at the local bar. Catra wondered if it was just to get away from all the PDA.

Not that she was complaining about her  _ own _ , of course. If Adora ever  _ stopped _ draping an arm across her shoulders, or attempted to pull away, Catra was going to go all  _ plagues of Egypt _ on somewhere. She was rather… enjoying it.

And she felt she’d earned it somewhat.

No, it was Bow and Glimmer that brought the  _ cringe _ . With their doe eyes and gentle touches and forehead kisses and the occasional full one legs-around-the-waist makeout session. It seemed crass.

“You’re wearing a hole in the carpet beloved,” drawled Adora from the remains of their bed. It had lasted a full seven minutes, but now was little more than a nest of shredded metal and torn mattress fibres. Adora lounged in the middle of it, legs crossed at the ankles, arms draped over the remnants of the headboard. Catra licked her lips as she regarded  _ her _ demon.

If she was being honest, she wasn’t pacing because of some overt PDA by her friends. Which also came as a secondary surprise - she regarded Glimmer as a  _ friend _ . But, no, she was mainly frustrated at the information they had.

The  _ vast _ amount of information. That told them VERY little. She sighed and sat against the narrow set of drawers that faced the bed. The room was so cheap there wasn’t even a TV. She regarded Adora with a fond smile, “Just… feeling a bit lost.”

The demon nodded slowly, “Well, we’re pretty far off the map here,” she grinned and arched an eyebrow, which drew an eyeroll from the Angel, “But, seriously.... It’s…. Yeah it feels weird, right? Not just me?”

Catra rubbed the bridge of her nose and hugged herself, “It is certainly  _ strange _ .”

The strange came from their last grave visit - they’d seen another three in a relatively small area. Well, relatively - two states. And Mermista had sent through a  _ lot _ more. A scary amount more. Entrapta and Hordak had sifted a few other mysterious circumstances, partial matches and related events. Turned out there was a hell of a backlog.

Near a hundred cases of Micah-or-close.

And the various summonings of the souls had shown an emergent pattern - near mania of the soul; drastic damage to said soul; and the telltale blackened marks of demonic magic. Some of the older souls had been barely there, some had just screamed as soon as they were summoned.

All marks of possession - a subsumption of the host soul, which got driven mad. Locked in a body it couldn’t control, yet feeling everything, sensing everything. Unable to interact, speak, be heard,  _ resist _ .

No wonder they were wrecks.

She tried to reconcile such an act with the being that was Micah. Had it all been an act? Angella seemed complicit in  _ something _ with Light Hope; Micah had helped Adora, though. Except,  _ had _ he? He had sent her to Earth.

Or rather, to  _ Hell _ .

Straight to Shadow Weaver.

And then of course, he hadn’t  _ ended _ Shadow Weaver, either. Adora and Catra had been there, at the final battle. They had dueled the Betrayer, the Enemy. Carved a bloody path through gorgons, harpies, fallen souls, traitor-angels, demons, trolls and all manner of fell-kin. They had battered Light-Spinner, destroyed her flaming sword, cast back her lances of burning light, broken her bow of golden power. Adora had slain her mount, some creature of heaven turned to darkness, it’s white fur matted and darkened with the blood of celestial beings.

Catra had shattered the Seraph’s war mask, then kicked her from the high peak of the plane they warred upon. They had chased her through shifting realities, watched as she bled light and became as shadow. Saw the eyes ripple across her form as she was consumed by her own rage and arrogance, as she drew more on the crueler energies of the nether realms.

And then, on Earth, Micah had joined them. Adora had stumbled, wounded by a lucky swipe from the Seraph and Catra had had to hold her back. And Micah had charged into the fray. An Archangel - surely no match for a Seraph.

And yet he had struck the finishing blow that smashed Light-Spinner to the depths of Hell and trapped her within the frozen lake at the centre of the realm.

A miracle it had been hailed as.

“What do you make of Micah?” mused Catra. Adora stared at the ceiling and tossed her head from side to side, then frowned.

“In what way?”

“I mean… I didn’t see him much after you….” the thought still gave Catra reflex twitch, “Well, y’know. Anyway, he sort of… went dark. And then vanished as well. But before that, what was your take?”

Adora’s frown deepened and she was suddenly just  _ there _ , in front of Catra. One hand cupped the Dominion’s face, her thumb tracing across Catra’s lips gently, “Hey. I’m here.”

Catra smiled, “So you are…. But answer the question.”

The demon smiled softly, then slid her free arm to grip Catra’s hip, “So, you want to talk about  _ Micah _ ?” That drew a short snort from the angel and Adora’s smile became a goofy grin, “Better. Alright, well… I liked him. We didn’t engage too much - he was mostly an Archive man. Kept to himself, spent time with the Virtues, mostly. And Angella. I mean, you think Bow and Glimmer are bad? You  _ never _ had to deal with Angella and Micah.”

Catra frowned, “And they’re bad enough….”   


Adora leaned forwards and tilted Catra’s chin up, only to ghost her lips across the angel’s,”Oh, my love…. They have nothing on us. They make out. I’m always a second away from just taking you there and then.”

Catra’s mind tried to do a priority redirect; clearly  _ things needed to happen _ , but she managed to hold onto her mental brakes. Barely. She reached up and flicked Adora’s forehead, “Focus.”   


Adora whined, “I AM!”

Next door a rhythmic thumping began, as a headboard started a staccato beat against the wall. Catra gave Adora a mock glare, then spoke up, “Well it’s not  _ me _ .”

Adora sighed, then managed a deep breath. The thumping, however, continued and she smiled apologetically, then shrugged, “What? You want me to just… ruin someone’s good time?”

Catra peered around Adora to stare at the wall, then looked at Adora, “Uh….”

“Seriously? How’d you feel if you got clam jammed…”

Catra’s face went through several expressions, “I… wait,  _ what?” _

“Y’know, bushwhacked, clitoference, muffin muzzler, honey-pot-block…”   


“You...what?” Catra gave Adora an incredulous look, “You’re making that up. All of those. What does that even MEAN?”

“Uh, I think you’ll find I  _ invented _ them. Also, kinda responsible for actually doing the blocking. Hehe, gets people so riled up,” Adora giggled and looked off into the middle distance, “So many bad decisions when you’re basically  _ good to go _ ….”

The Dominion groaned and yanked Adora’s gaze back to her, “Ok, we have  _ strayed _ about several miles off topic. So, ok, don’t…. Whack their clams or whatever. And  _ do not _ giggle at that. Dork,” Adora made the most serious face she could, but her eyes glittered mischievously. Catra wagged a finger and Adora leaned forward to mock bite at it. Catra huffed, “Behave.”

They froze as a high pitched squeal came from the neighbouring room. Adora rolled her eyes, “Eh, they’ve earned it. He had to rearrange his ‘conference’ five times and get that lie past his wife!”

Catra glared at her, “Mind changed, muzzle their fencer-clit or put the honey back in the pot or…”

Adora waved a hand and there was the sound of a bed  _ creaking _ , then a crunch as something gave way, which was  _ then _ followed by a less-pleased shriek. The demon grinned, “Feel better?”

Catra huffed and folded her arms, “Are you going to behave?”

The blonde tapped her lips, then nodded, “Yeah, sure. Sorry…. You’re, um… kinda distracting.”

“Behave and I’ll distract you all you want, my love. But….”

“Alright alright! Can’t blame me, can you? Anyway, so… Micah was…. He was a good guy. He and Angella…. There’s couple goals  _ right there _ .”   


Adora was far better with slang than Catra, even with her hours on the informative information box of Gew-Gal. She leaned back against the drawers again and Adora crossed her own arms in front of her, whilst staring at the ceiling. Catra prompted again, “So, in love? In a ‘do-anything-for-each-other’ sort of way?”

That drew Adora’s gaze, now set into something bordering intrigue, “You have a theory?”

“Barely.”

“Share with the class.”

Catra smirked, “What if he  _ isn’t _ the good guy? Tossed you to the wolves?”

“Working with Light Hope?”

“Or against her… but maybe  _ for _ Shadow Weaver? Or maybe  _ with _ Light Hope? Angella’s a Seraph and she was acting weird before I got here.  _ And _ she banished her own daughter! If she’s in cahoots with Light Hope.”

Adora stared at her, “No on says cahoots.”

“That’s what you’re taking away from this? My… anachronistic approach to language?”

“By mom, I’m dating a thesaurus,” chuckled Adora, “Sorry, sorry. Well….” she chewed her lip and shook her head, “If…. if that’s true then Heaven is…. It’s gone  _ badly _ wrong. Everything  _ everything _ we knew was bad. Does that mean Shadow Weaver was…. Right?”

Catra baulked at that, “No, no it  _ can’t _ be that.”

Now the demon began to pace, “But Micah… he was  _ in  _ those people. And the magic….” she paused and frowned, “but the magic was like  _ my _ curse…”

“So he could’ve used it on himself? Or maybe he was cursed by using it?”

“No… it doesn’t  _ work _ like that. Glimmer’s been over it, Lonnie too. You’d need the scroll. And a practitioner who  _ drew _ the scroll…. You’d  _ see _ the corruption on them. They’d need to be a conduit of power to pour the amount of energy to do…” she waved at herself, “THIS to an angel. Of  _ any _ power. An angel choosing to fall, to change sides? To embrace darkness? Much less energy than  _ forcing _ the changes, the side effects.”

Catra tapped her lips and hummed, “So…. maybe he got hit by the effects of  _ your _ curse? As he dragged you out?”

“Could be… I have no idea what it was doing while I was…. Rampaging. Maybe that was why he had to leave? A slower version of what was happening to me?”

That got Catra thinking. Micah wasn’t in the clear still - it looked suspect. The sheer number of souls impacted was too serious. But they weren’t going to solve it with conjecture - they needed a viable statement, from the horses mouth. They needed a  _ live _ possession.

“I’m hungry,” mumbled Catra, “Let’s… grab something.”

Adora paused and swivelled on her heels. In a flash Catra found herself pinned to the wall. Adora grinned, “Sounds good.”

“Um, well, let’s... “   


“I’m hungry. And I grabbed something,” Adora’s eyes twinkled with anticipation. Catra opened her mouth to offer a token objection, but then Adora’s mouth was on her neck and most rational thought fled.

Next door, the rhythmic thumping began again, faster this time. A car alarm went off. And upstairs, Lonnie dragged a pillow over her head and growled.

\--------

Half an hour later, the whole group found themselves in the poor excuse for a cafe that served the town. Glimmer and Bow were both crowded around a laptop, scrolling through the latest images - the pink-haired demon had a look of irritated concentration on her face. Her presence did raise the problem of what  _ might _ happen if they found Micah and he was not… on side, as it were.

Would she place family loyalty over their new little band? Even though her mother had cast her out? And how would Adora react? Catra glanced at her love and felt the same thrum of concern over their bond. Blue eyes turned to meet her amber and blue mix; Adora smiled faintly and leaned in to whisper into Catra’s ear, which was currently  _ human _ , “She’ll choose us.”   


“You sure?”

Adora shrugged, “She’s hot headed… but probably best we actually float the idea first… let her get used to the possibility.”   


Catra leaned back and huffed, “Wow, wisdom from you?”

“Hey, watch it. Goddess of Wisdom, right here. Plus, y’know, had to be all savvy like….” Adora’s voice shifted to something almost British as she spoke and she waggled her hands. Glimmer glanced up and groaned.

“Ugh don’t let her start on impressions. She love drunk? AGAIN? Do you two  _ ever stop?” _

Catra frowned, “Well, if you two looked up from your perpetual romp, you would know.”   


Adora snorted and Glimmer blinked, but it was Frosta who piped up, “Did… did you just say  _ romp _ ?”

Lonnie took a long sip of her coffee and glared, “What are you, a freakin’ British tabloid?”

The blonde demon's snort expanded to a laugh, which blended back into a snort again, “She might be in  _ cahoots _ with them!”

That got a few confused glances and Catra sagged back in her seat, “I swear, if I didn’t love you, I’d toss you in the pit all over again.”

Adora knocked her shoulder and smirked, then looked at the others, “So, any other leads?”

Lonnie waved a hand in the air, “Mermista confirmed a  _ live _ sighting, two towns over. Detour on the way to check in on  _ another _ insane ghost, but probably a better prospect.”

Bow looked up from his laptop, “It’s weird though. No sightings or real records of  _ any _ matching sightings… until this week. Seems out of the ordinary.”

“We’re chasing a series of overlapping soul possessions by a potential Archangel. Define normal for me,” sighed Catra, “Anyway, these guys travel, don’t they?”

Bow nodded, “And well… the little guy, Kadroh? He’s marking some possible options. We’ve had a few abnormal sightings in the records, historically. Physical descriptions of Micah, but no matching records. Easier now with facial recognition stuff, but not so much of that out here.”

Frosta nodded, “Fight the man! Yeah!”

Catra stared at the Dverge, “You know you are probably a pretty damn near definition  _ of _ the man. Aside from the obvious.”

“Well, no, I’m… I’m a free agent! Just, telling it how it is!” huffed Frosta. She shifted under Catra’s gaze, “Well,  _ getting _ there. We’re  _ rebelling _ right now! Come one!”

“In service to a high power and authority! Just because we’re going against a  _ corrupt _ authority…”

Adora tapped Catra’s shoulder, “Ok, babe, cool down the existential political philosophy. Focus, remember? Like you asked me to?”

“That didn’t work.”

“Yeah complain away,” Adora winked, “I’ll make it up to you. But, well… let’s see what this guy’s all about. Bow, any idea on whether he’s passing through or a regular?”

“Uhhhh…. Scrying says…. Regular. Or  _ seems _ to be. The tracking spell the mages did was further away so they can’t get a good fix.”

Lonnie sighed, “Yeah, we need a local Coven to help… or I just do it.”

Catra nodded, “Time’s a wasting… what do you need Lonnie?”

The Seer grinned, “Let’s go shopping.”

\--------

Back in Lonnie's room, they had a scrying circle set up and raring to go within an hour. Salt circle, burning incense (air fresheners that Glimmer jury rigged into something more flammable) and a few scrawled scrolls (Hastily penned runes on motel pamphlets).

They gathered around and peered at the shapes that formed and swirled in the centre of the circle, formed by the smoke of the candles and the flaking ink from the pamphlets, which slowly burned away to ash, despite a lack of flame.

The town was a grey shape, formed of ash and smoke. A tiny place, a single main drag, but larger than the place they were currently in. The view scrolled further in to reveal a bar. It had a woman on the sign, her face split in a grin. A name floated into view-  _ The Giantesses Laugh _ . The smoke shifted again to reveal the interior.

The people within were indistinct, their forms almost inhuman. Catra frowned and breathed out slowly as she watched. Slowly, the view trailed to the bar, where a man polished a glass. 

It was Micah’s face. Adora frowned and tilted her head, whilst Glimmer bit her lip and gripped Bow’s arm.

Suddenly the man looked up. Right at them. And then he winked.

The image shattered and the scrying circle burst into flame, the salt blackening and the remaining “candles” exploding in a shower of flames.

Wincing, the group lowered their arms from their reactive positions and stared dolefully at the ash pile in the centre of the room. Catra twitched then looked at Adora, “Assessment?”

“It’s a trap.”

Catra arched an eyebrow, but nodded, “Reasons?”

“Those patrons…. Something off there. And… scrying usually  _ stops _ at a ward. We were allowed to see inside,  _ then _ stopped.”

Frosta tapped her knee, her legs crossed on the bed, “Could be he’s trying to get us to go there while he runs though?”

“He knows his magic then, so this isn’t a  _ clueless _ possession. Micah isn’t just along for the ride,” Lonnie’s voice was slow, as she pondered. Bow shrugged and looked around the room.

“Could be just an invitation - shows he knows wer’re looking, shows us where he is… then just ends it to get us to go there?”

Adora’s face settled into a contemplative mask. Catra prodded her gently, “What’s going on in there.”

“The bar. Something…. Familiar about it.”

“Been there before?”

Adora shook her head, “No…. no. But… I don’t know. I get the feeling I’ve  _ heard _ something about it. ANd yeah… those patrons are bugging me.”   


Lonnie nodded, “Yeah… couldn’t get a soul read on them. Scrying usually gives you a  _ flicker _ of their soul. Or even a good view of their body. But they looked like… shadows. Blurry.”   


“Maybe interference? From the wards? The place had  _ some _ otherwise da-... Micah wouldn’t be able to cut the link, right?” Glimmer inhaled and exhaled slowly, clearly trying to keep calm. The Dominion watched her and nodded slowly.

“Could be. Or they’re practitioners, masking themselves.”

“A bar full of witches? Yeah, like putting cats in a sack. Not likely.”

Catra arched an eyebrow, “Your guys worked well.”

“Duh, scary angels watching them! Also… all out of towners for Brightmoon. You don’t do power plays or bitchy comments on task. Wait for the bookclub,” Lonnie’s face was serious and Catra paused.

“Know what, not even going to question that. So…. guess we’re taking a detour?”

\-----------

The town was relatively quaint - they had transitioned from field to lowland forest, which seemed to hug the town. Norwegian pines, flanking a lake that looked mirror-like in its stillness. Catra clung to Adora as they roared through the woods, then crested a low rise that gave them a glimpse of the town itself.

Elberon.

They slowed as they entered the main drag and coasted to a parking spot in front of what looked like a general store. A few locals glanced their way curiously. A couple stiffened and changed direction rapidly. Catra watched them go and frowned - they…  _ smelled _ wrong.

Not human.

Her jaw set and she looked to Adora, who was leaning forwards on the handlebars of the motorcycle, her own gaze set down the street. The demon’s blue eyes shifted and focused on Catra. Her lips twisted.

“Mythics,” they said, simultaneously.

A black town car pulled in next to them and Frosta clambered out with a groan, “Ugh, that road was  _ awful _ .”

“What, the booster seat didn’t act as a shock absorber?” smirked Catra.

“By Mara I hate you sometimes,” muttered the Dverge, “Hey, Brunhilde, any chance I can convince you to trade her in for a model with less mouth?”

“Well, um… no?” Adora snorted and looked at Catra, “I mean, her mouth is….” Catra slapped a hand over Adora’s face. Frosta rolled her eyes.

“I don’t want to thank you, Catra… but I kinda walked into that. Don’t know what I was expecting.”

“What, the hero worship run its course?” Catra grinned and looked back at Adora, then dropped her hand. Frosta smirked.

“Nah. She’s still awesome. But  _ man _ her jokes suck.”

“Like Catra’s…”  _ slap _ , and the Dominion’s hand was back in place. Bow and Glimmer emerged next, with Bow resting his laptop on top of the car. Glimmer rolled her shoulders and cracked her neck, then huffed a breath.

“So, what are we up against?”

“Mythics… not sure what kind. Or at least the town  _ has _ mythics. Probably Elves. Maybe Hulda-kin, or another type of Troll.”

Frosta cocked her head, “What clued you in?”   


“A couple spotted us, but they smelled wrong. Like… forest. Earth. Not human.”

Lonnie hummed, “They guess who you are?”

Catra shook her head, “No… they can tell we’re  _ something _ . Remember I had to  _ show _ myself, so not like they can pin it down, not unless someone’s scrying us  _ directly _ and then  _ we’d  _ know. They just know we aren’t human either. So, let’s… tread carefully. Don’t want to spook the local mythic enclave, or refugee group or… whatever.”

The town was interesting - the buildings were painted brightly, mostly made of wood and brick. Several houses behind the main strip seemed to have an almost Nordic design to them - porches, under-house storage, fretwork along the guttering. Catra glanced at Adora who seemed suddenly edgy. The demon glanced at her, then looked at Frosta. The diminutive Dverge hummed and nodded slowly.

“Old settler town. Lots of holdovers. If we’ve got mythics here, then no wonder it’s kept a lot of the… traditions.”

Catra frowned - she had been away for a while, but she’d seen something similar in how the desert folk clung to remnants of older settlements, invested them in new ones; how ideas migrated across miles, leagues, years. She chewed her lip.

“Old Scandinavian stuff, huh? What, they serving meatballs?” The group all turned to look at her, “What, I know all about IKEA now. Biggest Kingdom in Scandinavia.”

Frosta twitched, then growled. Catra met her gaze and smiled widely and the Dverge looked at Adora, “Brunhilde!”

“What?”

“Get your… your… soulmate to stop screwing with me.”

Catra glanced at Adora who levelled a flat gaze right back at her, “Are you screwing Frosta?”

“What? NO! Ew!” The reaction was immediate and Frosta shuddered. Catra huffed, and she glared at Adora “I’m  _ messing  _ with her…. Ohhhhh,” she sighed as she realised she'd fessed up.   


Adora’s deadpan expression shifted to a smirk, then waved at Frosta, “It’s all about the approach, Frosta. Assume she is  _ always _ fucking with you. Always used to.”

“You didn’t see her when she first got here…. She seems to have had the stick removed,” grumbled the Dverge, but she grinned as she said it. Catra snorted.

“Only so I have something else to beat your stumpy ass with.”

Lonnie interjected, “Uh, guys…. Cute as all this is, can we…. Work out a game plan? Cos all y’all walking into a bar seems like the setup to the world’s shittiest joke, or likely to cause a bit of a scene. I mean, Catra…. That town… and, well, Adora… you aren’t exactly subtle.”

The demon leaned back against Swiftwind and nodded, “The seer raises a good point. Also, Glim…. This  _ could _ be your dad. Or a messed up version of him…. It might be best you hang back until, y’know… people work it out?”

The group nodded together and Glimmer scowled at Adora, but there wasn’t any heat there, “We’re  _ this _ close Adora.”   


“So, y’know, a bit of  _ patience _ could be good. Mom knows, I’ve had to show some,” Adora’s voice was light but had a slight edge to it as well, “We hang back… maybe Bow goes in? You can get a read on the people as well. Lonnie too, maybe Frosta? Oh! Plan!” Adora clapped her hands and grinned and Catra groaned.

“This is gonna be awful.”

“Shh…”   


“Did...did you just  _ shush _ me?” Catra turned, eyebrow arched.

“Yes, I did. Save the smackdown for  _ later _ ,” Bow visibly flinched at Adora’s tone and  _ blushed _ . Glimmer looked at him and grinned wickedly. Frosta and Lonnie rolled their headbacks and groaned with exasperation.

“Later, please ladies… no mid-town random sexcapades,” begged Lonnie, “I didn’t get  _ any _ sleep… and…”

“Yeah scrolling your boys doesn’t scratch the itch, huh?” Adora grinned at her, “But anyway, Catra… hear me out… because that place is likely warded and  _ we _ will set it off. But A Dverge, a witch and… an unknown? Less likely.”

“Also likely to get trapped,” grumbled Catra, faintly mollified. She sensed Adora’s gentle amusement through their bond, a wave of  _ promise _ and mirth, which she honestly didn’t object to. Who knew she was a brat?

Well, Adora for one, apparently.

The demon nodded, “A good way to keep us off radar. If the whole…. Soul thing is Heaven’s doing, then me walking in there? Yeah gonna set off a few alarms, right?”

Catra nodded, “Also, Lonnie raises a good point. Your track record with places that serve alcohol is…. Not great?” Adora nodded contemplatively, accepting the accusation. Catra smiled, then looked at the others, “Ok. Sparkles, Adora hang back. Bow… you too. A cherub might still be a bit much. Lonnie, Frosta? You ok to check the place?”

The witch huffed, then ran a hand through her dreadlocks, “We got a choice?”

Frosta shrugged, “Hey, we’re just out of towners… I mean, most mythics  _ get _ why an Angel might be around, plus… yeah, witches.”   


The Dominion gave Lonnie a sympathetic look, “We can’t exactly hang around outside. The rest of us will keep an eye. This town seems… odd.”

“Think anyone’ll want to talk?” Lonnie looked sceptical. Catra just shrugged.

“We just need to see if it’s… him. A visual check first then… well, we’ll have to get the laylines of the land, as it were. You’re more intrinsically attuned, as a witch.”

Lonnie shrugged, “A’ight, so, go in, scope the place, see what the wards do, then… what? We need Glimmer to make the guy. If… if he looks like him, I mean.”

The group exchanged another glance and Catra huffed, “Let’s cross that tightrope when we, y’know, thread it.”   


Frosta nearly screeched.

\-------------

The bar was remarkably well lit. It didn’t  _ scream _ dive bar. In fact, it shouted  _ classy drinking establishment _ . Admittedly, it was spring a small-town bar, but the fittings were polished brass; the booths had leather lining; the bar itself was well litl and well stocked. There was a small stage to one side and a small jukebox opposite. Small, high tables dotted the interior and there was even a rather nice looking pool table set off to one side. The bare itself was at the back and right of the bar itself, so wasn’t the  _ main _ focus once you entered.

Lonnie felt a faint shiver run up her spine as she crossed the threshold - it seemed like the air conditioning unit above the door - but she recognised the  _ secondary _ sensation of passing over a ward. Something of an obfuscation ward; and a protection ward. Powerful, likely the work of a full circle.

And  _ very _ likely to have triggered if a powerful being had walked in. Lonnie wasn’t sure quite  _ what _ it would do in response.

Frosta huffed next to her and looked around, then gestured to an empty booth. Lonnie nodded and headed to the bar, whilst the smaller angel got seated. She leaned against the hardwood surface and peered at the offerings, then nodded in surprise - very  _ very _ well stocked for a bar in a small, sleepy town.

“What can I get you?” the voice was a drawl, almost a  _ bleat _ . Lonnie looked up at the bar girl and smirked. She could practically  _ smell _ the glamour; no angelic being this, nor a demon.

A mythic. She had the sensation of  _ goat-like _ features beneath the visage - a satyr perhaps? OR a Hulda? Norwegian troll-woman perhaps? She glanced back at the drinks and gave her head a side to side waggle.

“Two beers, please. Bottles. Uhhh… the Anchor Steam.”

“We don’t serve kids here.”

Lonnie looked the woman in the eye, “I’d hope not. Cannibalism is illegal.”

Internally she cringed - Catra was rubbing off on her in a bad way. Also, playing it cool? Difficult. She sounded like a  _ dad _ . And the woman behind the bar did not seem impressed. Another girl, shorter, with more rounded features, emerged from a back door to restock some of the fridges. Lonnie blinked again and had a strange sense of  _ reptilian _ from that one. Or at least  _ water _ .

“Funny. No, your kid can’t drink,” drawled the goat-woman. Or the woman she thought was at least _goat like_.

Lonnie looked back at Frosta, then smirked at the woman. The bar girl was trying for a bored look but Lonnie could see the tension there. Play the card now or…. No, don’t get feisty, “She’s got growth issues. She has ID if you need it. We just needed to stretch our legs, grab a beer, before we head out.”

The barwoman pursed her lips, then glanced at the door. Lonnie had the impression of an ear twitching, much like a farm animals’ when disturbed. Similar to how Catra got when she looked antsy. Then two bottles clinked onto the bar top. Lonnie reached for them, but the barwoman kept a grip, “Your friends outside ain’t up for a drink?”

Lonnie met the gaze and saw suspicion there. And some level of challenge. She arched an eyebrow, “Nah, they don’t mix well with alcohol. Also,  _ couples _ . Needed a break from it. Just my little angel, n’ me, y’know?” she made air quotes around the word angel, then looked at the beers, “Like I said, she’s got ID. But man, only so much PDA you can deal with ina car, y’know?”

The barwoman released the beer and relaxed, “Eugh, I get you. Ruins the vibe, people getting it on at a bar. We’re chill, but draw the line at… y’know.”

“Amen to that,” the word seemed to make the barwoman flinch, as well as a few people around the room. Lonnie saw the woman shift her head to one side. The Seer just smirked, then carried the beers to the booth. She placed one in front of Frosta, then leaned back against the leather to sip at her own, “So, scoped it out?”

Frosta grimaced, “I can feel  _ something _ . It’s a passive ward. I think it’s an… a warning system. Similar to that one in Entrapta’s place? THis one looks like a similar sort of… lockdown ward. I can feel it testing me out. But it seems to have… I think it’s got specific  _ triggers _ . Right now I just feel like I’m being watched.”

Lonnie grimaced, “Ok, so, maybe if you get… a bit aggressive it fires off?” Frosta nodded slowly, “But me… I’m fine because…?”

“Because, darlin’ you ain’t a threat,” a burly woman stood next to their booth. She sported, of all things, an eyepatch and a sheriff’s badge. Lonnie had a sensation of saltwater and quirked an eyebrow.

“Can we help you, officer?”

“Maybe. See, I’m wondering why a witch and…” she looked at Frosta and twitched, as if in faint recognition, “Shit… one of  _ you  _ guys?”

Frosta sighed, “Look, we’re just… trying to grab a beer. Stopped on the road,”

“You guys alone?” the words were clipped now, lacking that faux-warmth. Lonnie narrowed her eyes and shrugged.

“Friends are taking in the town. We don’t intend to stay long,” she noticed a few eyes were glancing their way. Silhouettes that seemed little more than flickers of light; shadows that didn’t quite match the shape of those casting them, “This place seemed like it… catered to people like is, y’know?”

The officer stared at her and frowned, “You work for that…  _ Triton _ woman, don’t you?”

“Yep,” Lonnie didn’t see any point in lying, “Well, she does. I’m on retainer. Just following up on some strange stuff. Maybe you can help?”

That made the sheriff pause and glance to the side, where the rest of the bar’s occupants now seemed to be paying  _ definite _ attention. The woman’s lips formed a line, “We’re… neutral. Don’t want to rock the boat. Maybe it’s best you… think about moving on.”

Frosta snorted, which drew the Sheriff’s gaze, “Uh,  _ no _ . Look, we just want a beer. We don’t want to mess up… this. Unless you guys have a smuggling ring slipping children off to faerie, or you’re trying to raise some eldritch thing, or you’re about to make a reality TV show about fracking  _ gnomes _ ? Don’t care, y’know?”

The Sheriff blinked, then huffed and adjusted her belt. Lonnie sipped her beer, “What she said. This place seems… kinda chill. That’s all good, right? Your place?”

That caught the officer a bit off guard, “Uh… no… no. Um. I keep the town on the down low, make sure we don’t… well, have one of  _ you _ sniffing about. Keep people in line. The bar is… yeah the bar is…”

The woman flinched, then shook her head. Lonnie narrowed her eyes, “Ah. A geas. I got it, say no more. It’ll just hurt. Neutral ground  _ within _ neutral ground. Got it.”

The woman looked relieved. Frosta did something strange and she stuck out her hand, “Frosta. Promise we aren’t here to stir up trouble with the mythic community. We do want to know some stuff, but we don’t believe it’s got anything to do with the town.”

That was a stretch. Mainly because they knew  _ nothing _ about the curse, how wide ranging it was, who was involved. But what Frosta said wasn’t quite a lie either. They weren’t, technically, there to cause trouble - they weren’t technically any real links to the town as a  _ whole _ . But ther Sheriff seemed to take it at face value.

“Alright. Reasonable If you’re staying long, there’s a motel on the edge of town,” the implication was clear - keep out of the town’s business. Lonnie nodded.

“Good to know. Doubt we’ll need it. Like my associate said - just a break, some info gathering. Could you help?”

“Unless it’s with missing hikers, drunks or the ilk, not what  _ I _ deal with,” the woman’s mouth twisted and she gestured to the bar, “But you’re in a good place for information. Stay for the show.”

And with that the officer turned and walked to the door. Frosta and Lonnie exchanged glances, then looked at the empty stage, then back at each other. Frosta fished out her phone and sent a text, then pocketed it again, “We done here?”

Lonnie chuckled, “Why, you in a hurry to get back to the love parade?”

The Dverge shuddered, “NNNnnnnope. Nope. But you can’t exactly  _ talk _ !”

“Eh, they ain’t here and that’s…. New. Real new. Real weird too. But y’know, feels… good?”

Frosta grinned, “Drink to that!”

They clinked glasses and drank, then settled down to wait.

\------

Catra watched as Bow read the message on his phone. He looked up, “Seems… there’s a show? They think there’s an opportunity to find out more then. Flyers say they have a starter at 5, so… couple of hours? Place is warded so, yeah we aren’t getting in without a light show, it seems.”

Catra shrugged, then looked at Glimmer, “Reckon you can recognise dad from a distance?”

“If it’s him, yeah. If it’s a shifter, who knows.”

Adora frowned, her gaze on the pavement, “What if it’s… dormant? Like his soul’s in there? Can you sense that Glim?”

She looked uneasy, “I…. think so? I mean we can all  _ sense _ souls, so I think I’d be able to spot an Archangel riding a human.”

The blonde demon nodded and glanced around. She seemed agitated again. Catra reached out and touched her arm, “What is it?”

“Something… familiar. It’s all Nordic, yeah. But… something on the edge of it all. Like, the fretwork - it’s all… Jormungand.”   


Catra blinked, then looked up at the frontage of one of the shops. The buildings weren’t a long unbroken block; more individual units with gaps, with a few longer, linked fronts. The fretwork along the gutters had the look of a snake, or a serpent, with a head at either end, where the gutter ended. She glanced at Adora again.

“World serpent? I mean, dragons in Norse myth, hardly strange. C’mon, your favourite people stuck them on their  _ ships _ .”

Adora frowned up at it and nodded, “Maybe, yeah. Lots of… mythics though. I mean a  _ lot _ right?”   


Bow looked about and nodded, “Lots of connections too. Deep. Powerful. I can sense the bonds, the loyalty. It’s not… malicious. But it is very intense here.”

Catra tapped her lips, then looked around, “Alright, we’ve got time. Let’s have a look around, take in the place. And in the interests of no one getting  _ distracted _ … Adora you’re with Bow, Sparkles, with me. Let’s have a look around. If we spot who we want first… great. If not, we need the two in there to feed us information. Check for wards, hints, traces. No  _ flying _ though, ok?”

The other three nodded and split, Adora suddenly business like and focused. Bow and Glimmer exchanged a glance, but broke apart. The Dominion watched Adora and Bow stroll away up the main street, then turned to Glimmer, “Right, shall we?”

The demon shrugged, but fell into step. The storefronts seemed pretty generic - mom ‘n pop general store, a bookshop, a bakery.

“This is… ugh so  _ twee _ ,” groused the demon. Catra glanced at her.

“What, quaint isn’t your thing? You look like a party decoration, thought this would be your whole… paradise,” she grinned as she said it, her words having no real bite.   


“Suck it, hairball. No. This is… small. I don’t  _ like _ small. And don’t tell me you’re a fan? Cottagecore? You?” Glimmer smirked.

Catra frowned, “What… what’s that mean?”   


“You are sooooo fresh off the boat. Rural living? Rustic beams? Yeah, you look more like you want the corner office and a glass of whisky,” the demon stopped abruptly and glared at Catra, but her face seemed uncertain “So, you’re definitely  _ not _ going to just up and leave, chase the job once this is all done? Leave?”

Catra paused and cocked her head. She wanted to snarl, that was her _gut_. The fact she was mostly mortal, in terms of her shell at least, was making her take the words at face value, but she could hear the note of worry in Glimmer's words. She breathed in through her nose, “How many times, Glimmer? I’m putting it  _ all _ on the line.”   


“For Adora or for Heaven?” Again, the worry was there.

“For all of us. I get you’re… protective but she is  _ mine _ ,” the words carried a reverb, like a purr, and Glimmer blinked. The demon’s shoulders relaxed and she huffed, then looked away.

“Ok… ok, sorry. That… I’m just tense. I don’t want her hurt.”

“Neither do I,” Catra looked away as well and ran a hand through her hair, “But we need to focus  _ Glimmer _ . I know you’re, y’know… anxious. How close we are. But We need to… not get sidetracked.”

The demon nodded then rolled her shoulders, “Ok. So. What are we looking for?”

Catra looked at the other pedestrians then grimaced, “”A shifter or… something that feels….off…”

They wandered the road, then took a side street, idly glancing at the houses. Catra dialled Entrapta, but it was Hordak’s voice that answered, “ _ Dominion.” _

“Baron.”

Hordak scoffed, “ _ A meaningless platitude… but… appreciated. You require something?” _

“We’re just checking this town, Elberon… one lead in the strange bar. Anything about our guy from surveillance?”

“ _ Strangely nothing coherent. I have a list of possible addresses, extrapolating a rough area of potential residence. The individual matching the description of the one called ‘Micah’ has taken several routes. However, no individual matching the description makes it to any of the houses.” _

“Any assumptions?”   


_ “Glamour by the target or a shifter of some description. That or the target in question is an apparition or illusion; this hypothesis fails under scrutiny as he is observed interacting with several objects. The bar footage is… spotty. The apparent wards on the building are making it difficult to access reliable historic data. Also, the fact that most of the camera runs on VHS, not digital programmes means we cannot verify his presence beyond a few camera-phone recordings.” _

Catra quirked an eyebrow, “Recordings? Of?”   


_ “Apparently this Micah is a comedian.” _

The pair exchanged a glance, “He’s the show?”

“ _ Potentially. A number of other acts have been recorded. Musicians. Beat poets. Monologues. Eugh. It is… dire.” _

Glimmer laughed, “Duh. Amateur dramatics.”

_ “There is no tangible difference. It is all so… cloying. But… this is aberrant. Few records of the performers…” _

“Huh?” Catra exchanged another puzzled glance with Glimmer, “How do you mean?”

“ _ These performances… match similar recorded performances in larger venues in larger cities from… several years prior. Also, no physical records of the individuals operating within the town. Last recorded transactions of several of these performers was several months or even years ago. No observable activity beyond the bar itself, although camera coverage is minimal. No car records, rental or otherwise. I will see if we can establish a viable pattern. This is…. Irksome.” _

The phone hung up, then an image flashed across the screen, highlighting several residential blocks. Glimmer growled in frustration, “So, not even a house, just… a whole  _ row _ of them?”

Catra rubbed the bridge of her nose, “Wonderful. So, not only do we have mythics… we have ghostly performers too? And we still have to find your father in this. Was this a wise decision?”

Glimmer shrugged, “Well, time’s wasting. Split or check each block?”

“Adora and Bow can take the ones on the west side. We’ll stay here… see what we can see. Divide and conquer, sparkles… you’re learning from me already!”

Glimmer grumbled then shook her head, “Let’s just get this over with…”

They stalked away, but didn’t clock the car on the road nearby. A window rolled down and a camera clicked several times, before it lowered. The face of a young man stared after the pair, eyes narrowed, barely concealed hate behind his gaze.

“Gotcha,” sneered Jackson.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First, MERRY CHRISTMAS!
> 
> Second! SORRY THIS ONES LATE!
> 
> The pacing for this one was tricky to manage.... didn't want to go right into the.... aum... well... interesting bits just yet.
> 
> Gotta keep it a bit... Low....Key.
> 
> Next chapter, promise, it'll all come together. Or some of it. Promise I'm dropping enough hints in there for you ;)
> 
> As ever, comments feed my battered soul"


	28. Smith of Lies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Catra and Glimmer meet the neighbours and their suspicions are roused
> 
> Adora finds a friendly face. And an old one.
> 
> Lonnie and Frosta find their lead.

“You ok? You seem…. anxious. “

Adora looked at Bow, whose brow was creased with concern. He was also biting his lip as they made their way down the street. They made an odd pair - a black man in white chinos and a crop top and a statuesque woman in ripped black jeans, combat boots and a top that was only a few buckles short of being fetishwear.

She cocked her head and regarded the Cherub - she hadn’t met him in the Eternal City, but then again the Cherubim hadn’t exactly been her primary focus. The Century’s, the Dominions, the various councils of Seraphs she’d had to sit in on as part of her  _ education _ ; even the virtues she’d worked with - she had more experience of the sharper side of Heaven’s bureaucracy.

And yet, she and Bow had a strange sort of similarity - bonded to Catra through friendship, yes, but also in the way they expressed their powers. Influenced the emotional  _ weight _ of people. All celestial beings did to a degree; she was more about  _ inspiration _ and Bow was more about  _ connection _ , admittedly. Catra was all  _ authority _ which was so ironic Adora was shocked the world hadn’t promptly folded in on itself.

“Earth to Adora - You ok?” Adora jolted at the question and blinked. Bow smiled, “You zoned out.”   


She managed a smirk of her own, “Pshh, fiiiiine. Just, a bit… it feels weird we may have an answer. Or at least  _ more _ information. Closest we’ve been in…. Years.”

Bow looked around the street and gestured to a nearby coffee shop, “Indulge?”

Adora’s laugh was a snort, “Considering what I  _ am _ , that seems a really silly question, you know that?”

The Cherub grinned and shrugged, “We’re all about choice, though, right? I don’t make  _ everyone _ fall in love. Nor am I great fan of romance novels,” he shrugged, “What we are doesn’t define our choices.”

She gave him a once over and nodded, “And another reminder of why Catra likes you.”

He flushed and gave her a look, one that seemed faintly panicked, “Not like  _ that _ !”

Adora shook her head and smiled, “Nah, I  _ know _ that. Don’t worry. If you put the moves on her, then we’d be having  _ words _ . But I think Glimmer would get to you first. No, more… she needs to be challenged. Balanced. I can see you did that…” Adora chewed her lip, then ran a hand through her loose blonde hair, “Thank you… for that.”

Bow’s smile returned, full force, “It was a pleasure. I think i was… just meant to hold the fort, y’know? I could always tell there was this, well, this  _ thread _ . I just couldn’t see where it went. I can tell most people’s ties. The people they love, the people they  _ think _ they love… I just work with that. So, y’know, she just needed to find the thread. And she did.”

The demon’s smile became fond as her eyes drifted to the distance, “Yeah… yeah that’s a good way of… seeing it I suppose.”

“Well, good. Now, come on. I see they have  _ fudge latte! _ I wanna try!”

A few minutes later they were sat at a table on the sidewalk, watching the townsfolk go by. A few shot them concerned or confused looks. Hell, the cashier had trembled when she’d handed over the change to Bow, but it was more confusion. And some faint intimidation at Adora’s arched eyebrow and smirk.

Baseline gay panic, as far as Bow could tell - the poor girl had been clearly debating adding her number to the side of the cup.

But the townsfolk were different. Adora’s frown was clue enough of that. It had returned as soon as they’d sat down. Bow nudged her, “It’s not just being close to the end, right?”

Adora shook her head - the truth was that there was definitely  _ something _ about the town that irked her. It was like a memory, something that sat at the edge of recollection. She grimaced, “I just have this sense of de ja vu. Like… ok those two across the street? Elves. Alfheim normally, but…”

“They’re… elves?” Bow sounded sceptical, “They’re… normal sized.”

He winced as Adora turned a faintly exasperated stare on him, “Of course they are! Not pixie elves! The Poetic Edda really did a number on people’s memories. So, those two are Ljosalfar.”   


Bow nodded, “So, they make a habit of coming here? I mean, did they used to?”

Adora shook her head and frowned, “We had issues with them. The Dokkalfar… I mean the  _ Dverge _ . Well, they kind of… police the Elves."

Bow’s brow creased, “So, uh…. Frosta? She’s, what… she said she’s a Dverger, Dwe...Derverger? _And_ a dokkalfar?”   


“Dverge, yes. Angels, basically… but the myth has them as the dark elves. Ironic really. And the dark elves get remembered as dwarves. So, yep. Anyway, long story… it’s weird seeing  _ Ljosalfar  _ here. I mean, they had a specific angelic group just for them. Because it got  _ complicated _ . Rival factions in Alfheim the Lojsalfar fragmented a bit. Bit like that whole mess in Europe? When it was all fiefdoms and barons?”

“Oh! Like a nation! You mean it all broke apart?”

Adora shot finger guns at him across the table, “Got it! Yeah, so…. It was weird. There’s a lot of back and forth in Alfheim. The Dwarves, Dverge I mean; well… they’re pretty straightforward, tinkerers. Peacekeepers. But they got a bit swept up. Meant to keep all that stuff out of... Earth. Midgard. Whatever. So there aren't that many here, not anymore. But I've seen _twelve_ today.”

The Cherub nodded and sipped at his latte, “Noticed a few other mythic types. A few fae…”

Adora nodded, “I can tell there’s some hedge mages about the place. Doesn’t that strike you as… odd? A  _ lot _ in one place?”

Bow slowly nodded, then cast his gaze about, “Could be… a hub? Or some sort of refuge? I mean, the world’s not exactly a nice place, so maybe they're banding together? Down here anyway. I mean,  _ you _ know that of course.”

A car rolled past and Adora’s gaze tracked it. Her eyes flicked about, a predator taking in all the movement. She noticed a few of the more irritated townsfolk lingering at street corners before vanishing away. Her jaw tightened and she leaned back in a display of faux-relaxation, “They know  _ we’re _ something. But they can’t tell what.”

“I mean… glamour makes it hard, right? That’s what Catra was talking about? And we're... kinda impersonating mortals right now.”

“Yeah they need to get a good look at our auras. The fact we aren’t… manifesting helps. But keep an eye out for wards. Or items designed to trigger something. It shouldn’t work on us - but Frosta might get knocked a bit. And if there’s a proper sigil carved somewhere, could still give them a clue. But we can hide it better than a mythic can.”

“Think it’ll be a problem?”

“Nah. So long as we don’t end up having to put our game faces on. Heck, I could take on a Jotun without having to dig too deep. I doubt we’ll find one of  _ them _ here.”

Bow blinked, “Giant, right?”

“Eh… sort of? They can get  _ big _ if there’s enough magic about. But they’re just… burly. I mean, Thor had a great time with them. Lots of drinking games. Until that big falling out, when they decided Shadow Weaver was the person to back,” she shook her head sadly, “Broke a lot of families up, that did. Back when Angels were… a bit happier to be involved.”

The Cherub leaned forward, his face lined with concern, “Oh?”

“I mean… all the myths talk about how we were at each others  _ throats _ . That came later, the timelines got blurred…  _ literally _ . But I remember fishing with Bergelmir. Wrestling  _ bears _ with him! Baking with Geror and Freyr - they were  _ married _ ! But… war is a cruel thing.”

“You know… it’s weird hearing you say that, you know? I mean, we saw… we saw the stuff that happened. What you, um,  _ did _ ?” Bow winced and Adora turned a hard gaze on him.

“That was  _ justice _ . War is  _ not _ justice. It’s chaos and pain and  _ horror _ . It is an opportunity for men to be tested, but it is not… a place of  _ honesty _ . Of perspective. It’s desperation and confusion,” she shrugged, then seemed to relax, “Demons are all… associated with that. But so are  _ angels _ . It used to be…. In the scrolls I read, deep in the archives, we would sit  _ together _ on a battlefield. Guiding, tempting. That’s how it was… demons offering the selfish, more expedient options, the more aggressive ideas; angels balancing with tempered wisdom.”   


“Good and evil?” mused Bow. Adora shook her head.

“No, not so… black and white. I used to think that way. Shadow Weaver  _ made _ it that way. But it was about offering  _ choice _ . Easy and cruel, difficult and just. A test of the soul. And sometimes a demon had to offer the option of cruelty, or ease, to allow the soul the chance to choose, to see their path. And sometimes their option  _ was _ the better one. It’s… messy. The bigger good at the cost of the individual. The way it stacks up… well.”

The Cherub sucked a breath and blew it up dramatically, “I haven’t a  _ clue _ about that. How it all balances out. I mean, it’s all so…. Closed off, y’know?”

Adora nodded, “Tell me about it. Light Hope was even more militant about things staying as they were - to stop the chaos, as she put it. Things being out of sorts, or not…  _ clear _ really unnerved her.”

That drew a laugh from Bow, “She gets unnerved? She looks like a statue!”

“Oh she can smile. It’s creepy, but she can do it. And, you know... she used to be  _ kind _ . But… she slipped, became focused on preserving Mom’s creation,” Adora looked wistful, but her fist clenched on the table. Nearby, a slight disagreement between a couple flared. Bow flicked his gaze to the mortals, then reached over and gripped Adora’s hand. She blinked, looked down, then looked up at him. He smiled softly.

“Everyone changes. That’s the nature of the game, right? Maybe she can change back?”

The demon relaxed and the nearby argument settled down to just a few sniffles. Bow exhaled. Adora chuckled, “It… gets to me. And, well… Hair trigger temper it seems. Thanks for the coffee. Let’s... Have a wander. Maybe spot some clues. If we’ve got mythics that puts the chance of our lead being a shapeshifter a little higher.”

“Yeah…. Then we just have to work out  _ why _ .”

Adora stood and shrugged, her gaze raking the main road as Bow cleared up their trash. They walked further down until another building loomed into view. Adora smirked, “Library.”

Bow glanced at her, “Um… not following?”

“That is because you are not a  _ scholaaaar _ ,” chuckled Adora, “Our digital friend can find some live updates, but… maybe the town records have something we can use?”

“What, there’s going to be a scroll of known shapeshifters?” he paused and checked his phone as it buzzed, “Huh… Lonnie may have a  _ lead _ … is that the word? And Huh. Hordak has some… addresses. A  _ lot _ of addresses. Glim and Catra are checking the other side of town. Want us to look up these others while Frosta and Lonnie… wait?”

Adora gave him a nudge on his shoulder, “Look at you, getting all in on the  _ lingo _ . Yeah, so,” she looked at the message and pursed her lips, “Vague… but maybe something there. And good job we  _ didn’t _ go to the bar. Big wards there…. Probably a big clue  _ right there _ . But! I am focused and the LIBRARY is clearly a  _ great _ idea.”

Bow shot her a look, “Really? Justice seeking demon wants to do study time? What about the  _ houses? _ ”

Adora marched towards the building, then turned and shot finger guns at the cherub, “Goddess of  _ knowledge _ and  _ wisdom _ . Oh yeah, Plus… public RECORDS!” she pivoted again and headed into the building. Bow grinned and shook his head, then followed her inside, calling out.

“What about all that investigation and verification?”

“LIBRARY BOW! LIBRARY!”

\---------

“This place is…. Like a Hollywood execs idea of middle America,” groused Glimmer. Catra gave her a sideways glance.

“I got precisely none of that, Sparkles. Care to elaborate.”

The pink haired demon gestured at the houses on the road, “White fences. Nice layouts. Two cars. Manicured lawns. It’s all so….  _ Bland _ .”

Catra peered up at the frontages, and shrugged, “Human architecture is… well it leaves a bit to be desired. But it has a charm to it.”

Glimmer gave her a sideways look, “They might not be able to make a tower of burnished ivory or an intricate mandala of pure obsidian on their downtime, but give them credit - they can do better than  _ this _ . Ugh, I can feeeeeel my personality being blandified by just  _ being _ here. If I turn around and have a fucking apron on and a rack of cookies in hand, just… banish me.”

“Bold of you to assume you  _ have _ a personality, Sparkles,” grinned Catra. The demon glared at her.

“You are the WORST! Such a fucking cat.”

“Hey!”

They glowered at each other then snorted and shook their heads. Glimmer planted her hands on her hips and looked around, “So, where is this… hideaway?”

The pair approached the first house and Catra squatted near the boundary. She laid her palm against the turf of the lawn and arched an eyebrow, then shook her head, “No wards. No… deterrents. Barely even feels like there’s a  _ hearth _ here.”

Glimmer folded her arms and stared at the Dominion, “...So no sense of family?”

“Someone was paying attention. Yeah, no sense of… togetherness. This isn’t really a home. A sense of… authority here. But it’s faint. Probably a single person living here,” they exchanged another glance and moved on. The next house was the same - no wards, but much more filial faith. Catra chewed her cheek, “Bow would be better at this part…”

Glimmer shrugged, “Just gauging if there’s a connection between the souls here though, right?”

Catra nodded, “Yes.”

“So why are you… nervy?” The demon frowned, “It’s weird seeing you  _ nervy _ . Angry, yeah that makes so much sense. Horny, much as it  _ pains _ me to admit it, yeah also seeable. Nervy? Weird.”

The Angel gave Glimmer a flat look, “You are so… odd.”

“Right back at you, Heavenly Scum.”

Catra huffed and gestured at the house, “The point I was  _ going _ to make was that… our potential suspect could be married; could be interconnected to someone else,” she dragged a hand down her face, “We may need to do another check  _ with _ Bow, in case… ugh, this is  _ not _ my wheelhouse.”

“Wow… you used an idiom  _ correctly _ ,” scoffed Glimmer, then huffed and stared back at the house, “And you seem fine with Adora’s emotions.”

“Duh. She’s  _ mine _ . Basically, that’s… that’s second nature. It’s this mortal mess that I can’t navigate.”

“Never tried, right?”

“They’re so… brief.”

The demon sighed and nodded, “They are. But it makes them amazing as well - all that they cram in. It’s… beautiful. And terrible.”

The pair stood in silence, then headed for the next building. Catra shoved her hands into her suit pockets and stared fixedly ahead, “I can’t even sense  _ anything _ off. Which… well if there’s mythics in town, they’re of course keeping a low profile. So those houses weren’t  _ mythic _ owned at least.”

Glimmer nodded as she peered about, “You think you could… sense him?”

“His soul? Well, yes… a possession is a bit like a beacon. It’s how we can zero in on demonic possessions quite easily. Alongside the fires and screaming, I mean. Angelic… possession is rarer. But people still look like roman candles with an angel soul in them - the soul can’t  _ hide _ as easily as when we properly manifest, like we’re doing. So… it’s obvious.”

The demon and angel paused in front of another house. Catra reached down and froze, her eyes suddenly narrowed. Glimmer glanced about and then cocked her head, “Something weird….”

“Yeah,” breathed Catra. She pulled her hand away slowly from the front yard of the property, “An alarm ward. I can smell it. And it’s…  _ old _ .”

Glimmer glanced back at her, then her gaze slipped back up the street - a saloon car had pulled out and was doing a turn in the road to head away. She narrowed her eyes then exhaled. Probably nothing. Her focus shifted back to the Dominion, “Old… how?”

“Like… I  _ think _ it’s connected to a tablet. In the foundations. The  _ original _ foundations.”

They exchanged a glance and Glimmer frowned, “Well… there  _ are _ mythics here. One of the … original settlers maybe?”

That had Catra nodding slowly. She beckoned for Glimmer to follow and the traipsed to the edge of the property, then onto the neighbouring plot. The Dominion walked to the front door and knocked. After a moment it creaked open to reveal an old woman with very large glasses and a prominent and wild head of hair that was a mix of grey and  _ possibly _ purple. She peered at Catra then smiled, “Ahhh. Hello dearie. Been a while.”

That made Catra and Glimmer exchange a glance, before Catra spoke, “Ah, you have the… advantage, ma’am.”

“Bah. Hardly. Any face these days has been a while. All faces are gone for an age then return. All in the knitting, you know?”

A voice called from inside, “Hverr et pat?”

“Oh just new neighbours!”

Catra blinked and smiled, “Ah, no… well, we  _ are _ new to the area.”

“Yes, been a while, I can tell, dearie.”

Glimmer leaned around Catra, “Sorry, um… we were wondering. About the house next door?”

“ _ Heim ór luggirr _ , what of it?” the woman pursed her lips. She was short and seemed slightly bent but her eyes blazed with awareness, “A rascally sort in there…”

Catra smiled, “Well, we wondered… if it was for sale? Who should we talk to?”

“Psh. You won’t find them that dwell there. A brooding, dramatic sort! Always a wailing and a wassailing that one.”

“Hvat um var?” the second voice came again and another woman stepped into the hall, dusting flour off her hands. She was a younger version of the woman in front of them - taller, same mess of hair, although hers was more tidily done. She sported a similar, albeit more refined set of glasses and she tilted her head as she spotted Catra. A smile tugged at her lips and she waved, then vanished back into the room she’d emerged from. A strange  _ clack clack _ sound started up.

A strange sense of familiarity began to inch upon Catra. She regarded the woman in front of her and tilted her head, “Have we… met?”

“Stand in one place long enough, you meet all sorts dearie. Though Picadilly is apparently the place for that. I think I’d remember one like you if we had though.”

Catra met the woman’s gaze, which never faltered. Instead the lady just smiled and Catra flexed her throat, then gestured to the house next door, “It looks… new?”

“Ah, always changing things, that one. Never sits still. Well, they do. Sat here for a while. Waiting. Biding. Always fiddling with our weaving. Well they used to. Now it’s our baking! I says to Clo, my youngest that one, sister I mean, not daughter, I say to Clo _how do we run a business if they keep changing it up!_ And, well, she just goes to that library and says _well we know_ _it always pans out._ ”

The old woman chuckled and shook her head, smiling at some sort of joke she’d made. Glimmer glanced at Catra, who was now staring at the woman with a mild expression of concern. She coughed and smiled gently at the lady, “So, um… my friend and I, like she said, we’re new, we just wanted to know… how the town was. Anything strange we need to know about?”   


The woman’s smile became serious, “Strange compared to what, dearie? Verdandi in there, well, she says there’s  _ none so strange as folk _ and well, we have plenty of folk around here. Some fair, some not. All strange. All wonderful. All safe here though.”

Catra nodded slowly, “For how long though?”

The woman smiled and spread her hands, “Oh a short while yet. I imagine. Though these days one can never be certain. All that stuff on the news, you know? Did you have a question dearie?”

The Dominion swallowed and peered past the woman, “Your… sisters are they both here?”

“Only that one in there. Never stops. So many orders, all this online stuff. Me, I do the gathering with Clo, supervise, then maybe a little of the finishing off and snagging some off the tray! What’s the point if you don’t treat yourself. Always told Mara dearie that….” The two Celestials stared at the woman and blinked. There was a ding and the woman turned at the sound, then turned back and blinked at them, “Oh. hello. Been a while, dearie.”

Catra nodded very slowly, “Sorry to disturb you ma’am. We’ll… thank you.”

The old woman smiled and absently closed the door. Glimmer blinked as Catra pivoted and marched to the end of the driveway and froze. Her cat-like features were now on full display and her body was practically vibrating - her tail lashed from side to side. Glimmer approached carefully, “Um… what was that?”

The Dominion swallowed, “It’s… not just mythics here. How the… well of course  _ they _ would be just… that’s their whole  _ thing _ .”

“Explain!” Glimmer huffed, “You’re being ridiculously vague, Catra.”

“Ever meet the fates?” Glimmer blinked in surprise, “Well now you can tick that off your list. I think.”

“You  _ think _ ?”

“They’re…  _ weird _ , ok. Never give you a straight answer. Because if they did that it’d  _ change _ stuff. And that was just… two of them. I think. I mean, maybe. Could have just been a weird psychic. Maybe was just a weird psychic. Probably.”

They glanced back at the house, then over at the neighbouring one. Catra bit her lip and Glimmer huffed, “Ok. Mythics and we  _ know _ there are mages all over this town too. So, yeah, probably just some psychic. I mean,  _ Lonnie _ could clock you that you were weird. Maybe she could too. And… we didn’t get an answer about the house.”

Catra tensed again, “Oh crap. I think I know who our Micah might be.”

Glimmer rolled her eyes, “And?”

“I… I need to see for myself. We need to get into that house.”   
  


* * *

The library was… interesting. It felt like something out of days gone by - old, dark oak shelving, secluded nooks and crannies; green-glass lamps on desks. Ancient microfilm machines sat right at the back and a solitary computer from what was likely the 1980’s was perched on a small desk near the front of the entrance. Adora inhaled as she walked along the stacks and smiled to herself.

Not quite like Alexandria; and not quite the same as a Skald-tale on a shale beach in a Fjord, but still strangely comforting.

Adora had spent many a year in the Archives, listening to the hum and thrum of the ancient buildings. Structures that were as old as her mother, perhaps… older. Mara had always been a little vague on that front.

Thoughts of her mother brought a wave of melancholy and Adora had to pause to draw a breath. She could feel the shadows in her mind - the ones that coiled about her will and urged her to vent her anger, her rage; to take righteous action against those who had wronged her; to allow those around her to find their own  _ entitled _ justice. To release their inner selves and be  _ true _ to who they were.

She tamped down on it, held those seductive whispers in check. She turned her thoughts elsewhere: the delighted purr of her lover, as Adora clasped her wrists above her. The long, drawn out moan as Adora snaked her tongue across an arched chest. The gentle sound of breathing and soft kisses in the early morning.

Rage smoothed to balance and focus. The beast hummed within her, its focus sated. Rage was only one indulgence it craved. Lust did just as well.

“Hello dear, can I help?”

Adora paused. She’d left Bow scouring some of the older records in the stacks - the librarian at the front desk was a squat man who had been sporting some sort of cap. Adora had recognised the  _ Nisse _ as soon as she clocked him, but had said nothing - the gnomish folk of Norway had spread along with the humans and blended rather well with their cultures. Hardly threatening, they were  _ far _ more community focused than many of the mythics. 

This librarian however…. Adora blinked and squinted. She cocked her head and a lopsided grin shifted across her mouth, “Maybe.”

The woman was young, her hair a mess of curls that seemed all the colours of the rainbow. Her glasses were large and round and she clutched a broom in one hand. She smiled brightly at Adora, “Wonderful! We have a bakery section just to the back. My sisters are always borrowing from there.”

Adora nodded and her smile broadened, “I imagine they are. I’m more looking for… town history.”

“Ah! Yes! Of course, that makes sense,” Adora nodded slowly to herself and her gaze flickered over the girl again.

“And why would that be?”

The librarian had turned to walk away, then paused and glanced over her shoulder, “You’re not local.”

Her answer was delivered in a way that made it all sound  _ obvious _ . The girl continued on and Adora snorted, then followed, “So… what’s your name?”

“Oh… um… Clo.”

“Not Urdr anymore?”

The woman stopped again, then turned and smiled, her head tilted to one side, “Times change, dearie. Scenery changes. Now is the time for Clo.”

“Far from the old country, aren’t you?”

“We are where we need to be, as the weave permits. Or rather how the crust permits,” Clo frowned at that, “Skuld has…. Rather taken to that. But, still, move with the times!”

Adora nodded then gestured to the books, “And your advice on where to look for what I’m after….?”

Clo smiled and pointed towards a stack of books on mythology, “You should familiarise yourself with the family tree. And perhaps your companion might be able to assist. Check with him in… three minutes. And let me see…”

The woman vanished between a set of stacks. Adora shook her head and snorted; it seemed this town had a  _ lot _ more going on. She counted in her head, then strode out to find Bow. He was hunched over a large leather book of newspaper cuttings. She peered over his shoulder and frowned.

“Whatcha doing?”

He hummed and tapped the book, “That bar… lots of stuff in the local gazette. Look at this. Recognise him?”

Adora frowned - the picture was black and white, from the seventies - a clear image of Micah, albeit with a bushier moustache.  _ Elberon Blues _ was the headline, about him taking a bar prize for jazz performance, “He’s been here a while.”

“And not being subtle. Look,” Another picture. Ten years later. Identical. Image. Except this time it was… an article about beat poetry. Adora snorted, then frowned at the text,  _ Elberon Newcomer wows crowds _ .

“That… that makes no sense! It’s just ten years! Locals surely know…”

Bow glanced at her and shrugged, “Maybe the locals who  _ need _ to know. Lonnie texted again - there’s a  _ geas _ on the bar. A compulsion. Probably impacts the locals. Prevents them saying things… or at least anyone who is  _ in  _ the bar,” Adora frowned and glanced over the pictures, then froze. Bow was reading and glanced at her, then did a double take. Her jaw was clenched tight and her eye twitched, “Uhhh… you…. Ok?”

He followed her gaze. A smaller article, showing a group ensemble. A few faces, fronted by a very flamboyant figure with long blonde hair and a rakish grin. Adora slowly peeled the page over, her eyes tracking to other pictures. More of the strange blonde in various items of clothing. Sharing the stage with others. Faces repeated.

But there was one constant..

Adora flicked back through the tome. Beyond the middle of the century, to the turn. Micah slipped from the images, but a blonde head was always there, white in the grainy photos; in the background of town hall meetings; at a contest; a play review. Interestingly, other faces  _ also _ repeated, albeit with more facial hair.

But  _ Micah _ only appeared recently.

And there were no images of the blonde and Micah together.

Adora flinched as a book landed on the table in front of them and she looked up at the smiling face of Clo.

“Hello dear. Some reading that might help?”

Adora glanced down and snorted.

_ Norse Gods and Other Myths. _

Bow looked at her and Adora’s face set into a scowl, “We need to get to that bar.  _ Now.” _

* * *

Lonnie finished her second beer and looked around the bar, “Sooo… minotaur?”

Frosta nodded slowly, “Aaaaand…. A sylph.”

The Seer grinned, then gestured towards the bar, “Any trolls?”

“What, you looking to get lucky?” Frosta giggled, “Nah, not that I can see. Aside from the Hulda barmaid.”   


“Yeah… what’s with that? Read about it and it’s… fucked up.”

Frosta smirked, “Oh that stuff about how the Hulda are pretty girls out to seduce men, but when they get married they turn into hideous crones? All that misogynistic crap? How virgin women are lovely but they become harridans when they get married,” Frosta took a pull on her beer, “Nah. That’s later stuff. Blame some priests for that. Original Hulda myth… yeah, they wanted to marry, to find love. Like the Satyrs, y’know? Bit of fun. The morality myth came later. Mythics are people too.”   


Lonnie raised her bottle to that, “Amen.”

A few heads turned at that and a low hiss ran around the room, but conversation resumed pretty quickly. Frosta sighed and shook her head, “Yeah this place… doesn’t seem to want to take sides. Definitely a neutral harbour. Strange how it’s… been off the radar for so long though.”

Lonnie pursed her lips and leaned back in the booth. They’d been there for a couple of hours while the others were doing their search and tour of the town. The place had a weird undercurrent of  _ Wild West _ behind the Hallmark postcard look of the place. To humans it was a twee little place; but it seemed there was a tension under it all.

Mostly directed at  _ them _ right now.

They were clearly intruding.

The sudden dimming of the lights caught her attention and a voice crackled over the speakers, “ _ Welcome welcome! Lovely to see all you DARLING people. Old faces… and some new ones. As ever, I am your compere without compare… Peekablu!” _

A figure  _ strutted _ out from behind the bar, all blue hair and sparkling royal blue suit. Lonnie groaned at the pun, “They do  _ burlesque _ in a dive bar? Is that a  _ corset? _ Or a waistcoat.”

The host winked at the crowd as they took to the stage, “Now, we have  _ quite _ the assembly of talent today. Singers! Dancers! Mediocre comedians! For those of you not in the know, no heckling, jeering or attempts to hijack the show by fair means or foul! We’ll know. Also, no cantrips or curses during the performance. It  _ wrecks _ the mojo, you hear me? None of what you did last week Derek!”

A voice called out from another booth, “Sorry babe!”

“Sweet talker! Save it for the main event. So, first up… a little bit of laughter to loosen your lips! Please put your hands together forrrrr  _ Miguel _ .”

Peekablu vanished off the stage and darted back behind the bar. A second later a familiar face emerged.

_ Micah. _

Lonnie inhaled and then frowned. She couldn’t quite get a good  _ read _ on him. She glanced at Frosta, mouth open to ask a question and froze

The Dverge was pale. Her eyes glued to the bearded man, her brow furrowed.

“Hey, what’s up?” Frosta shot her a sideways look, then looked over at the exit, before licking her lips nervously.

“Something’s  _ off _ . That... isn't an Archangel.”

Before they could move, a group shuffled closer in, as the empty floor space filled with standing patrons. The man announced as Miguel stepped up to the microphone and adjusted it, “Hey hey! Great to be here! Nice to see so many familiar faces! It’s like coming home, y’know? Except without the bills, two kids and disgruntled partner right? Well, my aim is to  _ not _ leave you hanging today. What kind of guy would I be to just leave you gasping? Well, aside from the  _ right _ guy, huh? I mean, gasping with disappointment, right ladies?”   


Frosta and Lonnie exchanged glances as the man rattled on. The routine wasn’t  _ hilarious _ but it was self depreciating, amused and slightly rambling.

“So, talking to  _ kids _ ? I’ve not got any myself, y’know, but… imagine trying to relate to that? It’s all  _ Fortnite _ and  _ flossing _ . That was two weeks and DENTAL HYGENE in my day! How do you  _ relate _ . It moves so fast!”

Frosta, Lonnie could tell, was agitated; but she could also tell the Dverge didn’t quite know  _ why _ .

“And, on the subject of kids… family in general. Just… ugh. So much  _ hassle _ right? Never good enough, never on the right track?”

Lonnie saw Frosta’s intake of breath and then stared at ‘Micah’. She squinted and saw something flicker. An aura. It was angelic. Sort of. She could  _ tell _ . She was a Seer after all. An impression of  _ blonde hair _ . A smile. Golden eyes.

This  _ looked _ like Micah. But the soul… she could tell it wasn’t.

She glanced back at Frosta and knew the angel could see it too.

“But… sometimes it’s nice to reconnect with family. Or old acquaintances. Even if it is to make sure you are still in the will!” Micah looked at their table then frowned. They saw the man work his jaw, then he replaced the mic on the stand. He rattled through a couple more jokes, then took a bow, “You’ve been great folks! Next up, your favourite acerbic wit, so I’m told, will dazzle you all with their brilliance. An angel in the streets a demon in the sheets! Or that’s what the cue card they handed to me said!”

The laugh echoed around the room. Micah stared at Lonnie for a moment longer, then suddenly grinned. The smile was too wide for Micah’s face. She watched the man slip behind the bar. A moment later another figure appeared.

Tight PVC bodysuit; a feather boa; blonde hair that flowed into a neat braid; pale skin and a grin that she’d seen on someone else just seconds ago. Frosta choked as the figure stepped up to the microphone.

“Heyah my lovelies. So, thanks to  _ Miguel _ for that lovely handover, really doesn’t sell my  _ oomph  _ nearly enough. I’m here to tickle you in all your special places, charm the pants off you and make your spouses jealous. All of them. But I  _ would _ like to say a quick  _ hey there _ to some newcomers to town - always good to see new people, especially those I’ve not seen in a  _ while _ .”

Frosta stood and stepped away from the booth. Her fingers flexed. Lonnie glanced between them, “Frosta… what… wh…”

The blonde leaned against the mic stand,. The bar had gone silent. With a slow smile, the figure stretched languorously, “Hey there  _ Beowulf _ . Looking like you’ve been caught short. Here to slay my raging dragon, hmmmm?”

Frosta folded her arms and tilted her chin back, then sighed with resignation.

“Loki.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not a She Ra fic without some Trouble that's been Doubled.
> 
> I did mention they were running a bar, didn't I ;) 
> 
> And yes I went super info dump in this chapter. Lots of MYTHOS. It's sort of important! To set up that reveal. We'll get some interesting interactions. But I wanted to remind people about mythics and also Frosta being, basically, a Dwarf. Or Dverge. But ALSO Beowulf :D
> 
> As ever, let me know your thoughts. Especially on the rather drastic change I made to someone familiar!


	29. Tides turning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Catra and Glimmer go investigating.
> 
> Secrets found
> 
> Something is sprung.

The air crackled with ozone and the smell of hot, desert air. Wafts of temple incense and the memory of embalming oils. The faint shriek of battle and the scrape of bronze on bronze. Glimmer watched, her eyes wide as Catra  _ worked _ .

They stood at the edge of the property, Glimmer with her hands shoved into her jacket pockets, whilst Catra had a palm against the air. She looked to be leaning in, supported by nothing but the invisible boundary of the property line. Her face was knit in a frown, bordering a grimace as light unseen to mortal eyes played about in strange patterns, lancing from her splayed palm.

“Is this going to take long?” murmured Glimmer. Catra growled and flinched.

“If this is who I think it is, well, we need to be careful. They aren’t known for half measure.”

“Uh, dangerous then?”

“Annoying, persistent, cunning. But yes, dangerous too.”   


“Huh. Do I know them?”

Catra paused and glanced over her shoulder, “Do you know… do you  _ know _ them? How should I know Sparkles? I haven’t told you their name, I have no  _ inkling _ of your social calendar. Your sunday tea parties or whatever it is anarchistic demons do on their off days?”

“Wow, someone’s cranky,” snorted Glimmer, “Thought Adora had you all mellowed out, considering the amount of burned out lightbulbs all over the place.”   


Catra actually smiled for a moment, then schooled her face into a glare, “Yes, well, meeting the Mara-damned  _ Norns _ will mess with your head. The damn FATES. Baking! BAKING, Glimmer. It’s all gone really  _ weird _ down here.”   


“Hey, don’t start. Some of the witches used to do a whole thing with chicken entrails.”   


“Ugh.”

They both looked at each other and rolled their eyes, speaking at the same time, “Mortals.”

The air shifted and the smell became pine and frost, with a hind of sea salt. Catra huffed and stepped back. The house rippled slightly, then came, somehow, into focus. It had been in focus, but now it just felt  _ more _ in focus. Glimmer pursed her lips and nodded, “Alright, not bad kitty-litter.”

“Thanks, bauble. That was a relatively simple one - obfuscation spell, but layered with some alarm wards. Most Archangels wouldn’t see it unless they were looking for it. Heck, a Cherub or a Century wouldn’t… but then again they aren’t really all into fieldcraft.”

Glimmer gave her a sideways looked, “Century’s  _ literally _ spend their time fighting.”

“Yeah. After the way has been cleared. Ok, fine, some are good at tracking and stuff, but  _ they _ become Dominions. Hence, yours truly. And the rest of my team. Century’s are blunt instruments you point at a problem, then  _ stand back _ from. They’d just walk in here, kick the doors down and hope their armour could take whatever it triggered. No subtlety.”

“Good to know. That’d be why they were so slow on the uptake?”

Catra nodded, “Yeah. Slow. But persistent. That Huntara we still need to be careful of. I’ve heard about here, through the Virtues. Could’ve been a Dominion, but she’s too stubborn.”

That made Dominion pause. She sent a withering glare at Glimmer, who had a hand over her mouth to muffle her snort. The pink haired demon shot her a faux-innocent look, “ _ Whaaaat? _ I mean, you’re not stubborn. Nope. Nuh  _ uh _ _. _ ”

“Moving  _ on _ . Let’s see what the Trickster has in store…”

The house looked modern, but with the same fretwork of all the buildings in town. Now Catra really  _ looked, _ she could see the Nordic influence - the wood inlays, the patterning, the serpentine scrawl and the runic patterns. This house was still very American, but raised slightly, allowing for space under the porch. It was a bit cluttered - a chair on the deck, some discarded bottles of what looked like tequila.

The lawn was neat, but no flower beds; minimal. No lover of nature here, then. This house wasn’t somewhere filled with  _ care _ .  The pair paused at the porch and Catra sniffed the air carefully, “More magic. Not angelic though - elf? I think? All smells so similar.”

Glimmer huffed and nudged her out of the way, then squatted down. She closed her eyes and traced a symbol, then nodded slowly, “Yeah, wow. Layers. Got some of that Alfar stuff? Lojsalfar I think Adora called it. We ran into a few back in New York once. Uh, huh. Some Djinn stuff in here.  Chemehuevi stuff - never really worked out how they did that. It’s  _ different _ so I don’t think the guy who lives here did it.”

Catra nodded and looked about. She spoke distractedly, “We aren’t above outsourcing, as you know.”

“What, send off for some Medicine man?” Glimmer sounded sceptical and Catra just shrugged.

“We aren’t all universally gifted. I can shift between planes, slice up a thing with no vowels in its name and cast it into an alternate dimension. I can compel people. I have  _ innate _ abilities. But some magic styles don’t come naturally, y’know? I can’t  _ make _ trees grow, or summon a rainstorm to a drought. It’s not my area, for example. I can judge and, well, if the power aligns to that? Yeah done. But the mortals have closer ties to  _ this _ plane so it’s sometimes better to let them do it.”

“Woa, admitting mortals are better?” Glimmer sat back on her haunches and smirked, “Wow, growth.”

“You don’t  _ know _ me Sparkles. I could’ve been so magnanimous for all you know.”   


“Yeah,  _ no _ . That is not a thing I would describe you as. All  _ ‘Rarg smite the demons aaaaaah,’  _ so magnanimous.”

“Are you going to do anything about the mortal stuff, or just provide a running commentary?” sighed the feline. Her ears were showing now and they twitched. A frown crossed her face and she turned to inspect the road. It seemed quiet, save the rustle of air in the trees.

“Keep your fur on. Just… and TADAA!”

“Wait  _ what _ ?” Catra turned and frowned. Glimmer gave her a smug smile.

“Done. Unthreaded, alarms deactivated but  _ not _ triggered. Because I am  _ amazing _ .”

Catra huffed, frowned then rolled her shoulders, “Fine,” she strode to the door and reached out, but Glimmer grabbed her hand.

“ _ Magical _ alarms,” and then, with a flourish, she plucked a velvet bag from a pocket and unfurled it to reveal several spindly metal tools.

“You have got to be kidding me,” deadpanned the Dominion, “Of course a demon has  _ lockpicks _ .”

“I accesorise,” smirked the demon. She plucked her cellphone out of her pocket and dialed.

“ _ BROTHER!” _

Glimmer smiled faintly, “Heyyyy, so, uh, we’re going into an unknown house, can you see the address from… GPS or something?”

_ “YES! Would you like directions?” _

“Uh. No. We’re  _ right here _ already.”   


“ _ Of course. You have REACHED YOUR DESTINATION. Apologies, Brother, Brother Emily advised I should be more enthusiastic!” _

The demon and angel shared a pained look and Glimmer looked at her phone, “I… I will likely regret asking, but  _ how _ can  _ you _ get any more enthusiastic?”

“ _ I do not know! It is an ADVENTURE as Brother Seahawk says. I have been watching his videos. They are illuminating. AHA! I made a PUN. Because, you see, he creates conflagrations and those cast LIGHT! Which…” _

Catra dragged a hand over her face, “Focus, please.”   


Glimmer sighed as the diminutive AI rambled on, “Is… is Hordak there?”

“ _ Unfortunately, Brother Hordak is currently combating a suspicious number of online issues! Also, actual Angels.” _

The pair blinked and Catra spoke slowly, “Uh, say again?”

_ “Angels! Well, a contingent of three that have, apparently, attempted to breach Brother Emily’s lab. They have FAILED! However, Brother Hordak and Emily are currently now temporarily offline as they relocate to preserve both the Company and their very selves!” _

Glimmer and Catra stared at the phone in alarm, then at each other, “What the… Light Hope, she must be trying to remove any other demonic influence,” sighed Catra. She massaged the bridge of her nose, “At least she’s being subtle.”

_ “Indeed, although the discarded equipment the Angels carried looked to be more akin to containment units.” _

Another shocked exchange. Glimmer swallowed, “Say again?”

“ _ A set of bindings, a series of rune inscribed chains and a curse-box for sealing a soul. There was also a large bag, capable of fitting one mid-sized human within it.” _

“We need in this house, now. Glimmer, why were you calling the Homunculi?”

“Oh, uh… OH! Yes. Kadroh, can you, y’know, check wireless stuff? See if there’s an alarm in here? Bypass it? DO some  _ Swordfish _ stuff?”   


“ _ Of course! Would you like to download Swordfish? It is currently on…” _

“Just... the alarm. If you please.”

“ _ All done. Two separate alarm systems, one wired to a mobile notification unit for local law enforcement, another setup to a personal cell number. Also, be advised, there are several hidden cameras. Mostly located split between two rooms. One marked as BEDROOM 1 on the floor plane (Available on a rental site, good deals if you apply now!) and another marked BASEMENT.” _

“Huh,” Catra frowned, “Cameras in a bedroom. Strange.”

Glimmer stared at her, then shook her head slowly, “You still have  _ so much _ to learn,” she said, hissing a few of the words, then snorted, “Alright, let’s have a look.”

The demon pushed open the door to reveal a nondescript hall. Mail was stacked haphazardly on a rickety table. They moved into the lounge which looked  _ gaudy _ . Bead curtains blocked the door to the kitchen and the place looked…

It looked like a leopard had exploded, frankly. Along with several feather dusters. Deep red carpets, animal-print covers on the two large couches, a glass topped coffee table and several  _ artistic _ nudes of people all over the walls. Mostly photographs. A portrait of a grinning blonde hung on one wall, surrounded by small framed accolades. Catra sighed.

“Yeah.  _ Loki _ ,” she shook her head, “We need to search this place fast. Before Adora works out it’s them.”

“Uh, why?”

“They have  _ history _ . It went  _ weird _ . I mean, that’s Loki’s whole thing. You know her bike?”   


“ _ Swiftwind? _ Yeah?”

“Her second mount. Her first was… Slipper. Sleipnir, I mean. Oh yeah the myths say it was Odin’s horse but… eh.  _ Anyway _ Loki’s the mother.”

Glimmer blinked as Catra nonchalantly tossed that out there, “Wait… what?”

“Oh, sorry. Loki is or  _ was _ an Angel. Didn’t fall, precisely but wasn’t exactly a team player, all told. I met them once. The term I’d use is  _ mercenary _ . Reliable until you stop being fun or you run out of money. Also, holds a grudge like  _ nobody _ . Cut off Sif’s hair to spite Thor, tried to do it to Adora, along with some other things. There was a landslide, mountains got shaken, Loki vanished for a bit. Anyway, they’re not great news and Adora is likely to turn wherever Loki is into a slagpile.”

“Shouldn’t we…. Stop that?”

Catra looked at Glimmer, “You want to stand in front of Adora…?”

“Uh  _ no _ , but you mellow ehr out with your Catra… ness.”

“Oh good, we’re talking like idiots.”

“What, it’s TRUE! Why aren’t you sprinting there now?”

“Because if Loki’s involved in this Micah stuff, then there might be something  _ here _ . And if we chase after Adora, Loki can use that as a distraction and then just go to ground. It’s what they  _ do _ . Misdirection, tricks, traps. So, focus, check  _ everything _ .”

The kitchen yielded nothing - save the fact that Loki was a fan of cocktails. Shakers, mixers, a whole set of glasses. The first bedroom was little more than a large closet of a  _ variety _ of outfits. A number of which seemed fairly mundane. Glimmer sifted through it, and grimaced at the strange assortment of things.

Catra stalked and did a cursory glance into the bathroom - spotless, no real sign of use. A large, multi-head side shower  _ monstrosity _ along with a decadent bath. She frowned and shook her head.

Loki clearly was enjoying the life of a mortal, with little indulgences.

The main bedroom was a surprise. A single, large bed with a set of drapes. A serpent motif trailed up the wall to a carved snakeshead that loomed above the bed itself. A laptop stood on a dresser, which itself looked like something out of a fashion show - neatly kept makeup, a mirror with spotlighting all around it. Catra peered up and could make out the cameras positioned around the room, as well as an unused tripod set aside.

Glimmer came in and winced, “Huh. So, Loki has a kinky side?”

Catra shrugged, “No idea. I am… confused by all this. Can Kadroh check the laptop?”

The demon nodded and Catra walked back into the main room. Something nagged at her. The house was on one floor - no upstairs. And also no  _ downstairs _ .

Except Kadroh had said  _ basement. _

She checked the room but no doors or hatches were apparent. Carefully, she moved to the back door that led to the yard and tested it - no spells. Glimmer had done a good job. Of course Loki would  _ know _ that someone had been there. If, of course, the pest survived an encounter with Adora.

With a flick of her claws, the handle and lock fell away and she nudged the door open. The yard was like the front - neat, clear lawn, but no real  _ personality. _ No flowers, no bushes, no trees. Just grass. And a forlorn set of patio furniture.

She checked and saw  _ nothing _ . No way into the basement. She heard Glimmer behind her and turned. The woman looked disconcerted, “Find anything?” queried Catra.

“Other than the fact that Loki is apparently at least twenty seven different people on a cam site… across the whole spectrum… yeah, got a few records on the laptop. Mainly tracking  _ us _ .”

Catra frowned, “How do you mean?”

“Well, tracking odd activity. Most of the recent stuff was about Brightmoon. And, then some searches from… around the time we did that vision search.”

“Shit. Loki knew we were coming. Any indication on a basement? I have this weird feeling we’re missing something.”   


_ “That basement is easily accessible from the kitchen!”  _ chimed in Kadroh.

“Uh, no it’s not,” scoffed Catra, “Like, no doors there at all,” Glimmer went into the yard and looked at the house, hands on hips. She peered at the walls, trying to see an external access, “I checked there too!” called Catra.

Glimmer looked up and squinted. She cocked her head to one side, then walked into the house again. With deliberate care she looked from the lounge to the kitchen space. Then she paced it. Without saying anything, she went back into the back yard and paced the wall, peering in through the windows. She did it a couple more times as Catra watched, an eyebrow arched and mouth twisted in confusion.

Glimmer looked around and then at Catra, “The room is too small.”

“Say again?”

“For an investigator you are off your game. Come on, Catra! Think. The house is one floor, bedrooms off the main room, yeah? I just paced out the whole length and… taking into account the, y’know extra room there… and there… the kitchen is BIGGER on the outside than in here soooo?”

Catra slapped her forehead, “Illusion. Of  _ fucking _ course. But… why can’t I tell?”

Glimmer reached out a hand, her face thoughtful, “Two sets of eyes maybe?” She looked down at her cell and then held it up, “Uh, Kadroh… can you see out of the camera?”   


_ “One moment Brother! Ah, yes. As you can see, this is a well apportioned kitchen, with modern fittings, suitable for a family of…” _

“Ok, ok, save the pitch… what can you see?” Glimmer shook her head and pointed the camera around the kitchen, “Shout it out.”

_ “Ah, counter, storage, storage, oven, sink, unit, fridge appliance, door, unit unit…” _

Catra grasped Glimmer’s wrist, “Door… where?”

“ _ Brother, pan me back… there.” _

“That’s… the fridge,” Catra slowed down and peered closer, then hissed. She realised her vision was sliding off  _ something _ , “That shouldn’t work. Not at this scale. Loki’d need to be here to pull that off.”

“Is Loki here?” Glimmer muttered, “I can… wait. Try and focus. I think I have an idea. It’s a mixed spell. Angel power but channeled into mortal spells.”

“So it counters  _ both _ …. I see where you’re going with this, Sparkles. Not just a glittery face.”

“Careful, or Adora’ll think you like me.”   


Catra scoffed, “Yeah, that just means you turn into a thin smear.”   


“Eh. She might  _ pout _ at you first,” Glimmer grinned and Catra shuddered, “Yeah, it’s lethal, isn’t it?”

“Stupid buff blonde… and her stupid face,” growled Catra, “Alright, let’s just… break this thing open.”

Glimmer wove a rune into the air, a set of sigils for  _ see _ . Catra reached up and traced an Enochian rune for  _ reveal _ . The pair of spells blended and the kitchen wobbled like a soap bubble as reality reasserted itself. A door appeared between one set of units and the fridge. Glimmer grinned, “Jackpot!”

“Alright… let’s go.”

They opened the door and took careful steps down into the basement. It was clean, with whitewashed walls. A single light illuminated a relatively large space. A set of servers sat at one end of the room, whirring quietly away; a bench with tools and odd, almost medieval implements sat against another wall - a bookshelf set above it. The adjacent wall had a corkboard listing a number of articles. A summoning circle was set in a corner and the last wall had what looked like a cabinet with a mirror on the front. The glass seemed smudged, almost black at the base and the wood of the cabinet seemed to be darker in patches. The pair approached and Glimmer glanced about cautiously.

“What the heck is all this?”

Catra mused, “A research laboratory. Loki did like to test their ideas out. But this is… strange. Journals on the shelf there. Those tools are for soul bindings and that wall there…” she looked at the corkboard and frowned, “These are all… Micah sightings?”

“Why would Loki be concerned about that?” hummed Glimmer, clearly confused, “If they’re  _ being _ Dad, I mean? Making sure they don’t, I don’t know, cross paths?”

“Loki wouldn’t  _ care _ . That’s just more chaos, more  _ fun _ . They’d do that, then pull up a chair to watch what happened. No this is… an investigation,” she moved to the bench and saw a piece of glass wrapped in mistletoe and copper wire, “And this… is a soul trap. Strange.”

Something thumped from the cabinet. A moan gurgled from it. The pair exchanged a look and took a tentative step towards it.

The mirror came alive and a face slammed against the surface, as if  _ within _ the cabinet itself. Black ooze seeped from the glass, then slid down the surface. It left no trail, but pooled into the wood at the base. The smell of sulphur and rotting fish permeated the air.

Glimmer stared at the face that banged against the glass. She gasped, “D...dad?”

The face  _ was _ Micah. But it was gaunt and, when it turned, Catra could see holes across the features - empty voids. You couldn’t see  _ into _ the head, the head just… wasn’t there. In fact, there was little of Micah except for that fragment of face - a distorted impression of a person, but not much else. Bits and pieces that stuck out, that almost looked stitched on. Other  _ parts _ of him.

“That’s… what  _ is _ that,” murmured Glimmer in horror. Catra shook her head slowly.

“I… I don’t  _ know _ . I’ve heard about tearing a part of yourself out. Souls, phylacteries, that sort of thing. Pharaoh's did it but they thought you had to die first, got  _ that _ wrong. I tried to tell them but  _ nooo _ ,” she shook herself, “I… think that’s a sort of storage unit. A long term one. Look at the runes. And the wood is, well, I’d bet my wings that’s wood from Yggdrasil.”

Glimmer turned to stare at the Angel, “What?”

“Tree of life? The world tree? A grounding spot for fate and all that? Pretty potent stuff. The glass, who knows. But mirrors and silver - all really potent stuff, right?” she looked at the soul trap in her hand, then at the board of sightings, then at the cabinet, “What… what’s this about Loki?” she murmured, and then blinked again.

The Demon looked between the cabinet and the Angel, “What? WHAT?”

“Loki’s… fixing him,” Catra slapped her forehead, “The tears in the  _ souls _ . Micah… his soul  _ was _ in them. And for some reason I think Loki’s trying to find the rest of him.”

“We… we have to get him out of there!” Glimmer gasped. She lunged for the cabinet but Catra grabbed her shoulder and hauled her back.

“No you idiot! You have  _ no idea _ what that’ll do if you touch it! That’s bespoke, Loki level weird stuff. Like  _ freaky _ stuff. The Norns! They can help. They know this stuff, the World tree, fate bindings.”

The face in the glass turned to them and hissed out, “ _ Bayyyyy beeee… giiiiiirl.” _

Glimmer saw it raise a hand and point up. The demon and angel blinked and then heard the creak of a floorboard, the tread of a boot.

They turned to the staircase as a trio of heavyset figures descended. The Century’s fanned out at the base, the familiar form of Century Huntara in the middle. Well, familiar by description at least. The tall woman smirked at Catra, and tilted her head, “Well, fancy that. Told your little sea Goddess we’d be back.”

Catra narrowed her eyes, “Don’t think we’ve had the pleasure.”

The Century took in the basement, clearly ignoring the question, then smirked at Catra, “Nice digs here. Decor is a bit too modern. Get some furs out, some stuff on the walls. I can see the appeal. Who’s your  _ friend _ ?” her smile was condescending. Catra relaxed faintly. She could deal with  _ cocky _ .

“Oh this one? The help.”

Glimmer glared at Catra, but then returned her gaze to the Centuries. The demon took in their placement and adjusted her stance carefully. Huntara spared a glance her way and then returned it to Catra, “Seems you’re  _ fraternising _ .”

The Dominion kept her gaze steady, “Making use of local resources. Mages, locally bound demons, mythics. SOmetimes with field work you get  _ dirty _ .”

“You’re here to  _ banish _ the fuckers, not  _ make nice _ ,” sneered the Century, “And what’s this? Your little pleasure palace?”

So, the Centuries weren’t here for Loki: interesting. However, that meant they were here for  _ her _ . For some reason. And that meant they were following her somehow. She couldn’t feel the weight of Heaven’s scrutiny, or a scrying spell, so they’d done something else. Catra crossed her arms, which made her look like she wasn’t prepared to defend herself  _ and _ also gave her a very irritated air, “What do you want,  _ Century? _ You’re impinging on a delicate investigation.”

“Your little holiday is all up,  _ Catra _ . Light Hope wishes to speak with you in person.”

Catra narrowed her eyes, “Address me with the proper respect, Century, or I might assume a sin of vanity and hubris.”

The other two Centuries stiffened and exchanged a glance. Huntara twitched, but then snarled, “She said to bring you…”

“Does that mean I’m in trouble? Did she  _ say _ that… or are you  _ assuming _ ? Because, if I’m not and you get… overzealous, well… the Seraph might get upset,” Catra’s smile was sweet, condescending. The Century was  _ not _ happy.

“You’re consorting with  _ Fallen _ ! Partaking in… arcane rituals. And that is the soul of an  _ angel _ !” Huntara pointed at the cabinet, “Reason or not, you’re clearly  _ bad news _ . I’ll take the punishment if it means taking out  _ your _ hubris. No more Light Spinners, not on  _ my _ watch.”

Catra saw the strike. The woman was strong, but she telegraphed her attacks far too clearly. She easily sidestepped as a glowing spear appeared before Huntara, the shaft materialising as the big angel thrust forwards. The other two Centuries dove forward as well, glowing weapons manifesting and casting strange shadows across the room.

Glimmer blinked away, then reappeared behind one of the angels, fist in mid swing. Catra heard it connect and saw the being slam into the workbench. Glimmer vanished again, then appeared to grapple the other Century. Catra ducked and junked around Huntara, who swung with power, but little finesse, “Really, this all you have? No wonder you didn’t make the cut!”

Huntara roared and the spear became an axe, which she swung in a smooth arc. Catra flung herself back, then whipped her arm forwards. A strand of light cracked out and slammed into Hunatra’s chest. There was a flash and the burly angel careened into the wall, which cracked under the impact.

The second Century had regained their senses and lunged for Catra. She caught him easily, one hand clamped around his throat, the other wrapped around his sword wielding wrist, “Stupid. Too open, too clear. Home for you.”

She glowered at the angel then flexed her power. Her wings became visible for a moment and the Century shrieked. Light flashed and then all that was left was a tattered brown overcoat, which drifted to the floor. Catra turned to see Glimmer involved in some sort of boxing match with the third Century. The trenchcoated angel grappled the demon, then got her in a headlock. Runes cloud around the angel’s wrists and Glimmer shrieked in shock, “I… I can’t teleport!”

“Got you now, hellspawn!” snarled the angel. Catra growled and took a step forwards. But Glimmer twisted and pushed backwards. The pair stumbled and collided with the cabinet.

What happened next was a confused blur. First, the angel shrieked , as hands sprung from the glass and wrapped around him. Glimmer cried out in shock and stumbled away as the angel clawed at the phantom limbs.

Black tendrils snaked out and slapped onto the angel; smoke began to rise and the smell of sulphur filled the air. The Century’s flesh began to bubble and boil. Then he began to sink  _ into _ the mirror.

As he did, another figure fell  _ out _ , passing through the shrieking form of the angel. The Century was slowly pulled through the glass, as more tendrils of black, oily magic grappled onto him. As they watched, the angel was fully absorbed by the mirror.

Then he was ripped apart.

Fragments of the angel’s being were whipped into clusters that were held in a black void - but each was clearly  _ aware _ .

And screaming.

The  _ other _ form seemed to be in agony as well. Catra and Glimmer stared as a ghostly, half formed image of Micah writhed and flopped ion the concrete floor. The summoning circle began to hiss as runes lit up. A black, flame ringed void started to open in the middle.

“What… what do we do?” moaned Glimmer.

Catra stared at the demon, then at the soul. She could see it gripping the floor, but to no avail - the portal seemed to be widening and drawing the soul towards it.

_ Why? _

The Dominion didn’t think. Her mind shunted to the soul-catcher in her jacket pocket. They needed answers and here was a fragment of Micah - they needed to preserve it as the Cabinet was clearly  _ not _ an option. She plucked the strange item free and then jabbed it into Micah’s back. There was a strange distortion and then Micah was gone. The portal in the summoning circle snapped shut and the temperature of the room dropped.

“Wh….what did you  _ do?” _ Glimmer and Catra turned to see Huntara staggering to her feet. The Century glared at them, then traced a rune rapidly in the air. Motes of light began to form and Catra cursed.

“Shit. Reinforcements.”

Glimmer nodded, then grabbed Catra’s wrist. With a flash of black glitter, they were gone. Huntara threw her spear to the ground and swore.

* * *

“So what brings so  _ noble _ a hero to my little corner of the world? I mean, you must have excellent taste to come patronise my little one-woman show, hmmm?”

Frosta regarded Loki levelly, “Taste. Yeah. Sure I’m not distracting?”

“Oh, snowball, you aren’t even a minor bump on the head. I mean I have to bend down to see you. But as these fine folks will tell you, I take any excuse to bend over,” that drew few chuckles around the room. Loki’s grin was a little  _ too _ wide. They stood and surveyed the room, “Anyway, amusing side girls aside… and we all have them, right fellahs? And some of the  _ ladies _ too, uh hmmm? Maybe it’s the same one? Makes scheduling easier, am I riiiiight? Anyway, let me give you a bit of a song. Maybe a story. And then we can have a drink, think about  _ old times _ .”

Frosta huffed, knowing she’d been  _ dismissed _ . She headed back to the table and watched as the Trickster pulled of a rather good rendition of “ _ Man, I feel like a woman _ ,” then tracked through some good-natured roasting of members of the audience. Lonnie seemed uncertain, and a little cautious, “That’s… Loki? I thought they were supposed to be, y’know… chained to a rock. Waiting for Ragnarok.”

“What do you think being stuck on this dustball watching what these vermin think passes for  _ art _ is?” came a purred voice next to them. Frosta and Lonnie twitched and saw Loki, right  _ there _ . The blonde being gestured for Lonnie to move up, then slid gracefully into the booth, “I mean, it  _ is _ like having poison dripped onto my face. And all because I didn’t pick a flag to tie my fate to.”

“You were complicit, not picking a side.”

“What’s the point, when both are equally stupid? Anyway, I did.  _ Mine _ . Free will, good enough for the mortals, good enough for us, right?” The blonde toyed with Lonnie’s beer bottle, then swiped it, “So, why catch my  _ show _ , little morsels? I mean, I know I’m good enough for the big leagues, but really, talent scouting little old me?”

Frosta glowered at Loki and planted her palms on the table, “We’re not her for  _ you _ … not unless you’re actually Archangel Micah in  _ disguise _ !”

Lonnie had to resist the urge facepalm. Loki, for their part, went deadpan, “Uh huh.”

The Dverge seemed to realise she may have overplayed her hand, but soldiered on, “In the interest of… being transparent, we’re trying to track down the Archangel,” if anything that seemed to get Loki’s eyes narrowing even further, “And  _ you _ seem to be quite happy to masquerade, fairly obviously, as him.”

“That’s need to know, pintsize. And you don’t  _ need _ to know,” the words were smooth, but cold. Lonnie sighed.

“So what’s the story here then, hmm?” Loki glanced at the seer and quirked an eyebrow.

“What, you’re going to have to be  _ specific _ , cutie.”

“Charming,” drawled Lonnie, “Bet that gets you loads of action.”   


“With a hit rate like mine, you bet your sweet ass,” sassed the Trickster, “So, again,  _ specifics. _ You’re eating into my earnings,” on stage a solo musician was butchering  _ Sweet Caroline _ . The patrons seemed antsy - a few were casting glances their way. Lonnie eyed them, then shrugged and fished out a bundle of notes from her pocket.

“Let us rent you for an hour. Would this cover it?”

“Babe, you had me at  _ rent _ . So, I suppose you want to know about the ol’ homestead? Simple really - bit of home away from home, safe from you and yours,” here they flicked a finger at Frosta, “Getting all up in people’s faces. So  _ uncool _ . And, frankly, tiresome. Preachy, even. Mythics do good business, raise families, just want to get on with life. But the  _ factions _ want mercenaries or informants or… ugh, who  _ knows _ . Here, well… peace and quiet.”

Lonnie nodded and waved at the barmaid, who approached with a curious glance towards Loki. The Trickster shrugged at the goat-girl (Whose glamour was clearly fluctuating) and waved them off to get more beers. Lonnie shrugged and looked across the bar, “Seems a good gig. You run the whole town?”

“Moi? Oh no, babe, I  _ help _ . I am the  _ visionary _ . But running things? Ugh, paperwork. No, I have my own things to do, thank you so much!”

“Like kidnapping Micah?” accused Frosta. Loki rolled their eyes.

“Wow, you really don’t have an original thought in your body do you? All muscle, no style. Mind you, furs and gold, that was always your  _ thing _ wasn’t it?”

Lonnie shot Frosta a warning look and raised a hand, “Look, we aren’t here to mess with… any of this, a’ight? We’re trying to find Micah because he might be able to help a… friend. And, well… someone else.”

Loki tilted their head to regard her, “That’s an awful lot of trust to spill my way, sugar.”

“Yeah,” ground out Frosta, “Loki  _ charges _ for loyalty.”

Lonnie just snorted, “And you spilled about the Archangel, so, let’s make do, ok? As for you, you going to rat to… who exactly? About  _ what _ ? We’re just looking for a missing Archangel, part of Triton’s whole  _ jurisdiction _ right?”

She watched as Loki leaned on a perfectly manicured hand, those strange, almost snake-like eyes rolling up and down her, assessing, undressing. She shifted uncomfortably. Loki grinned again, “You know you;d do so well on one of my shows. Burlesque, maybe? Or some poetry. Perhaps we should go back to mine for… a private audition?”

Frosta growled, “Save it. Or we’ll get our friends and  _ they’ll _ ask the questions.”

“Oh I’m  _ shaking _ . Some hedge wizards and, what, another Archangel? You forget who I am, Beowulf,” Loki’s demeanour shifted; their face narrowed, became wolfish, “Father to Fenris, mother to Hel, egg to Jormungandr. I make monsters and I will rejoice as Heaven falls and Hell freezes.”

That got Frosta to lean back. Lonnie had to bite back the chill in her skin and managed a weak smile as the barmaid returned. The woman’s footsteps faltered as she took in the tableau, but Lonnie managed to nod and beckon her forward. Loki pulled back and their smile returned. The Seer took a breath, “Not much for the stage. Or Screen, but  _ thanks _ . Look, I get it, price, whatever. We know something weird is happening with Micah. He promised to help a friend, then vanished. We think… Heaven may be involved.”

It was a gamble, but she had an inkling that Loki may have an axe to grind - probably literally. Mercenary yes, but there was an air of resentment in their words. She smiled faintly as the snake-eyes locked onto her, “Oh? I hadn’t heard.”

_ Liar _ , thought Lonnie. She shrugged, “There’s some weird shit going down everywhere. I’m sure you’ve heard all about it. Bet you have to be well informed to keep tabs on a place like this. I mean, yeah, you don’t  _ run _ it, but you gotta keep it ticking over, right?”

Loki chuckled, “Wow, you do know how to  _ massage _ don’t you. Not as sassy as I was expecting, but smooth. I can work with that,” they tipped a bit of their cocktail back, “First bite’s free. I helped Micah, when he first crashed down here, ooooh, two hundred and fifty years back? Bad shape, poor boy. He promised me a favour, said I could claim it from the person who’d come through asking for it.”

Lonnie met that gaze, “You think that’s us?”

“No clue. Not until you ask the right questions, babe. I know you’ve got others trailing you about. Need to make sure they’re on the level.”

Frosta’s frown was back, “Micah… didn’t vanish that far back though. Because A-”

“Beause we know it was… relatively recent,” interjected Lonnie. She didn’t look at the Dverge. Loki, of course, didn’t miss a thing. But the Trickster just arched an eyebrow and shrugged.

“He wasn’t exactly in great shape. All smoking, not in the good way, y’know? And falling apart. I mean  _ literally _ falling apart. Bits were  _ missing _ . Made me promise to keep an eye on things. I don’t make oaths lightly, babe…. But it’s  _ Micah _ . Out of all you rotten lot, he was one of the good ones. Plus, always helps to have a favour from someone with a line to Mara, right?” the smirk had an edge of bitterness to it, “And dammit if I’m not soft sometimes.”

The Dverge exchanged a look with Lonnie, “So, whatever got him knocked him out of time?”

“Well, knocked  _ part _ of him out of time… the rest, who knows!”

_ Another lie _ thought Lonnie. She frowned, “You weren’t so keen to open up. Why tell us?”

“Well you’re small fry. Hardly an impact, y’know? Also, Frosta or Beowulf or Pintsize Bratz there, she can’t do deception to save her life or anyone’s really? Too dense, even for the Century’s, y’know? Whaaaat? I can be catty. You stole my mead,” Loki pouted then grinned again.

“You stole my  _ horse _ !”

“You needed the exercise. Anyway, it’s been a while since I had a  _ fun _ conversation with such promising talent. Also… I just need to keep you occupied.”

Lonnie glared at him, “This… was a trap.”

“Like Frosta said… Mercenary.”

Frosta made to stand but cried out as a blast of heat washed over her and locked her into the chair. A figure stepped out of the crowd, all of whom were watching their table, some with smirks on their faces. Lonnie huffed and glowered “Motherfucking  _ Jackson _ .”

“Hello  _ Lonnie _ . So glad you remember me.”

“Hard not to, after the whipping Catra gave you.”

Loki blinked, “Wait… who?”

The Seer turned her face to the Trickster, “Oh. Did we not mention? Dominion Catra. Of the Fourth Chorus?”

Temper clearly flaring, The Trickster blinked again and turned to Jackson, “You followed a  _ Dominion _ to  _ my _ town? And didn’t think it was prudent to mention that fact, you smarmy little  _ bitch?” _

In front of them, tired of being spoken to in such a manner, Jackson drew himself up, “I am operating under the  _ authority _ and  _ power _ of the Seraphs. Hold your tongue, or your little operation will be reduced to ash. Remember who you’re talking to. I am The Magi of the Seventh Sigil.”

“Did the boy who got  _ fired _ by Triton not tell you  _ anything? _ Wow, you run a crappy operation,” chuckled Lonnie, she settled back into her seat. Frosta, opposite her, suddenly smiled. Loki looked uncertain as they glanced back and forward, “Did he neglect to mention anything else, do you think, Frosta?”

Frosta studied the ceiling, “Ummm, maybe?”

Loki glared, “Pray tell, oh sassy one.”

“Catra ain’t here alone. She brought her girlfriend.”

There was the dopplering sound of a siren and then the crash of metal, like a car going end over end.. The siren noise warbled and faltered with a pitiful, fading  _ woop _ . The lights in the bar went out. The music cut off. And the ward flared to life, blinding in its intensity, before it guttered out  _ utterly. _

The doors splintered off their hinges, the debris flooring several patrons and sending others squealing away. The barmaid ducked down and cowered. A few of the braver townsfolk squared up, then shied back.

A figure stepped over the threshold. Her blonde hair cascaded up as if underwater. There was the briefest  _ hint _ of black wings. Her body was encase in form fitting black and her boots crunched on ruined wood and cracked, singed tiles. She glanced at the runes that had etched into the floor, having been oh-so-unsuccessful in either warning  _ or _ trapping her.

Blue eyes that seemed to be flowing into red took in the bar and settled on a specific table.

“Heyyyyyy  _ Loki _ .”

The Trickster stared back, all panache and poise gone. “Oh  _ fuck _ .”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think you're seeing where this is going. Maybe. Sort of.
> 
> We may be about to have a RUMBLE in the JUNGLE.
> 
> As ever, let me know your THOUGHTS! I love hearing what you make of all this, where it's going and what your predictions are!


	30. Down Under

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Loki spills the beans.
> 
> Catra gets a workout.
> 
> Never split the party.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Forced consumption of intoxicants, mild demonic torture.
> 
> Basically, Adora flexes her demon muscle.
> 
> Also, impending angst.

The word hung in the air as if physical. Everyone stood, frozen as Adora took them all in her, her half smirk conveying relaxed amusement. Her hair twisted and wafted, her steps slow and deliberate. She moved towards Loki but paused as a burly man stepped in front of her.

“Don’t worry boss, I can take a lil’ demon I…”

“Huh,” Adora frowned and gave the man a once over, “A troll. Wow. Haven’t seen one of you in a  _ while _ .”

“You wanna see more, that can be arranged, baby. I eat demons for  _ breakfast _ .”

Loki made a strangled noise and made to move. Adora grinned and her voice did something strange as she glanced at him, “ _ Stay _ ,” Loki froze, their eyes widening in shock. Adora’s own gaze flicked to the troll and she pouted, “You want to try me, big man?”

The troll growled and grinned, the human features of the man rippling as glamour gave way to more pronounced features - pot belly, bulbous nose and bushy eyebrows. He leered, then frowned as Adora giggled, “What’s so funny?”

“I. See. You,” she murmured, “Does your friend over there know about Sandra?”

The troll blinked and froze, then glanced over at the bar where another figure suddenly shifted, “Wh...what?”

“Does he know about that time ooooh… four months ago. You guys got drunk? Got a bit… carried away? She doesn’t talk about it of course…” the figure at the bar moved, their body language angry. They seemed similar in bulk to the troll. Adora glanced towards them, “Mind you, I know you and  _ Frank _ over there aren’t innocent either. And  _ you _ … mmmm. You always wanted to  _ know _ what it’d be like to eat a  _ werewolf _ right?”

The crowd shifted, now incredibly uncomfortable. Some seemed angry, though and shifted to more aggressive postures - their glamour struggling to hide their true forms. The troll in front of Adora rallied, “Ech, demons  _ lie _ . You talk a big game, but you’re  _ nothing _ . One magic word away from falling back into the pit.”

Adora spread her hands, then clicked a finger. A chair skidded across the floor and she grabbed the back of it, then stradled it in front of the troll. He stared at her, nonplussed. There was a hiss, then a click as the jukebox flared to life, a riff rolled through, then lyrics drawled across the tense room.

_ This world doesn't need no opera, we're here for the operation _

_ We don't need a bigga knife (a bigga knife) _

Adora smiled as the music came to life, “I can make you want to eat your own eyes. I can make you fuck your friend over there. Because, some deep dark part of you  _ wants _ to. I can make you think it’s the most urgent thing you want to do. Only reason I’m not is because I promised to be as good as I can be… buuut sometimes a girl needs to let loose, right?”

_ 'Cause they got guns, we got guns, we got guns (we got guns) _ _   
_ _ We got guns, you betta run (ya betta run, ya betta run, ya betta run) _

“I’ve been so so so  _ good _ . But. y’know,” she licked her lips, her eyes going glassy for a moment, “It has been a long time since I killed a troll. Or a werewolf,” she tapped her lips then wagged a finger at another woman at the bar, “Oh and… ummm.. OH! Yeah! A  _ lamia _ . I mean it’s not  _ hard _ but it is different ripping you guys a new one compared to a human, know what I mean?”

_ We're killin' strangers _

_ We're killin' strangers _

_ We're killin' strangers so we don't kill the ones that we love _

_ We're killin' strangers _

_ We're killin' strangers _

_ We're killin' strangers so we don't kill the ones that we love _

“You’re one weird bitch. Time’s wasting,” the troll drew his arm back and Adora smirked again.

“ _ Choke your friend. _ ”

The troll lurched and blinked, then staggered to the bar to grapple at the man there. The pair went down in a pile, the attacked wide eyed and shocked, his victim desperately trying to get the troll’s beefy hands away from his throat. The crowd stared, shocked. Loki squeaked and managed to stutter out, “B...Brunhilde!”

_ That _ got  _ everyone’s _ attention. Adora shrugged and stared at the troll, “ _ Stop _ ,” the struggling men froze, panting and shot her terrified looks. Adora shrugged, “Get out. All of you. Before I get  _ really _ bored.”

They stampeded for the door, barmaids as well. At the entrance, Bow staggered through the ruined doorway and had to flatten himself against the wall as the patrons fled. He glanced back, then peered into the dingy bar, “All good?”

Adora shrugged, “Soon,” her eyes settled on the sole occupant who  _ hadn’t _ fled, “And who might you be?”

The human drew himself up with a sneer, “Your worst nightmare, hellspawn. I am Jackson Fenton, M agi of the Seventh Sigil.  I am the herald of your downfall, sullier! For I serve a higher power.”

Adora blinked, then looked at Loki, “He with you?” her gaze flicked back to Jackson, “Um, really sorry but, nope, not ringing a bell.” She popped the p and flashed an insincere smile.

Bow drew a breath, “Damn! You’re the guy Catra absolutely  _ roasted _ ? Wow. Uh, so, um, why are you here?”

The demon blinked then grinned and looked over her shoulder, “Catra took this punk down? Why? He a threat?”

“Naaah, he sassed her. Think he, um, may have… commented on her…” Bow trailed off. Adora’s smile vanished and she turned to regard the magi. The man was tracing runes in the air and Loki groaned in exasperation.

“I  _ bind _ you, demon. For Heaven comes to exact retribution. Against you and your fallen friend.”

_ Love _

_ Love _

_ Love _

“You tried to  _ hit on _ my Catra?”

The runes flared to life and shot around Adora. The wrapped around her wrists and ankles, stretching into white, ethereal chains. The demon frowned at them as Bow gasped. Jackson grinned, “Now you are bound, submit to the will, as per the Key of Solomon! Oaths inscribed upon my talismans bind thee to my will!”

_ We pack demolition _

_ We can't pack emotion _

_ Dynamite, we just might _

_ So blow us a kiss, blow us a kiss _

_ Blow us a kiss and we'll blow you to pieces _

Adora stared at him, “Gonna ask again, slowly. Because, wow, you are slow. You hit on Catra?”

The magi glowered, “S...silence! And that angel was not truly heavenly. Some tramp from…”   


Her arms moved and the chains burst into motes of light. Horns became visible, solid. Her wings spread and blocked out the light, “ _ Kneel _ .”

Jackson flinched and grimaced. He shuddered but seemed to resist. A grin stretched over his face, “You… cannot… compel…”

And then his pockets caught fire. He screeched in alarm and clawed at the collar of his shirt. The magi hauled a pendant out from his shirt and threw it away, the strange binding of metal and cloth now a melted, sizzling mess. His pockets burned through as various items, now little more than slag, dropped out to clink on the floor. With a whimper, Jackson sagged to the floor, on his knees. Adora snorted, “Amateur. I’m not imp, kid. Now, you look _parched_. Maybe go grab yourself a drink. _Help_ _yourself to all you can drink.”_

Crawling, whimpering, Jackson began to drag himself towards the bar. He hauled himself up against the wood and fumbled for a bottle. In one go he upended it and glugged it back, sputtering as he tried to spit it out. He whimpered and tossed the empty bottle to one side, then moved to the next. Adora rolled her neck, then turned her gaze to Loki. The Trickster stared at Jackson, then looked to Adora, “Damn. You’ve  _ changed _ , girl.”

She gave a one shoulder shrug, “You’d know, I’d wager.”

The Trickster took a breath and gestured at Jackson with a wince, “Look, sugar, I screwed up. I didn’t know it  _ was _ you coming, y’know? If I had, it’d have been the full red carpet deal! The works! Not… the errand boy there.”

_ We're killin' strangers _

_ We're killin' strangers _

_ We're killin' strangers so we don't kill the ones that we love _

“Y’know, I remeber the  _ good old days _ ,” Adora laughed mirthlessly and Frosta shifted uncomfortably next to Loki. Lonnie couldn’t stop staring as Jackson tipped another bottle of beer back. Adora continued, “I remember what you did to  _ Sif _ ….”

Loki swallowed, “That… that was…”

“Takes a lot to damage a soul, Loki… a lot. I had to console Thor. Help her dig her way  _ out _ of the shame.”

The Trickster’s eyes traced to Jackson, then back to Adora, “Wh...this isn’t  _ you _ Brunhilde.”   


“No. This is  _ very _ me. Why are you  _ here _ Loki? Don’t lie, please. I have a feeling we don’t have time. And I’ll  _ know _ ,” her smile didn’t reach her red red eyes, “Perk of the change, shall we say?”

Loki flexed fingers and nodded. Their demeanour shifted from tentative to relaxed, “I guess honesty is the best policy, huh? Alright, simple. I’m paying off a favour.  _ And _ serving out that asshole Odin’s sentence.”

“Banishment, tied to the dirtball, yeah… I figured  _ that _ . Knew you were down here already,” Adora shrugged, “Continue.”

Jackson made a choking sound as another bottle clattered behind the bar. Loki winced, “You really gonna make him drink my stock? Babe, that’s  _ profit _ going to waste over there!”

“Just til he passes out,” smiled Adora, “I’m not a monster!” her voice was mocking, not even trying to sell the lie.

“Uh uh. Alright. Look. I thought all y’all were interlopers. I’m running a good thing here, a refuge. No heaven. No hell. No weird sideways assholes wanting to muscle in. Safe, secure. Don’t need any of that Ragnarok BS.”

“Thought you were supposed to be a fan, of the end of the world, I mean,” hummed Lonnie, finally able to tear her gaze away from the weeping, compelled Jackson. She shuddered. Loki shot her a tired smirk.

“Please. That’s so  _ passe _ . I mean, yeah, I was a bit  _ miffed _ for a while. Who wouldn’t be, getting stiffed on so much opportunity, not allowed to stretch my wings, as it were. But hey, we all have a teenage phase riiiight? Although, darling, mine lasted a few hundred centuries, that I’ll grant,” they winked, “AND a few hundred  _ Century’s _ if you know what I mean…. Rrrrowr, kitten.”

Adora folded her arms over the back of the chair, “Focus, Trickster. I’m getting bored again,” Loki turned and huffed.

“No sense of drama… or maybe a touch  _ too _ much,” they glanced around the room, “Yeah, totally. Anyhoo I… may have been tipped off by your favourite sponge over there that we could expect  _ visitors _ and that I was to help in… waylaying you so the cleanup crew could get here. Assumed you were with some faction or other.”

“You didn’t even  _ ask _ ?”

“Babe, one thing you learn - questions just get you more questions. Do the job, keep the big players off my ass in the bad way and we all go about our day. Anyway, I needed to keep a low profile because, well… I was waiting.”

“For what?”

Loki’s grin was like a Cheshire Cat’s, “Why for you of course, Blondie. Micah’s orders.”

_ Love _

_ Love _

_ Love _

* * *

Glimmer and Catra collapsed onto asphalt, blinking in the sunlight. The Dominion stood and huffed, then frowned, “This… is not the main street.”

That made the demon straighten and peer around, “Shit. Balls.  _ Fuck _ . Something…. Pulled us.”

“Pulled us?” Catra sounded suspicious.

“Yeah, I know most angels can’t directly teleport. Just… y’know the BIG trans dimensional stuff - in-dimension hopping takes focus. Not much can mess with it, except wards or ley lines. Or large amounts of magnetism, for some reason. This just..  _ Ugh _ … something is screwing with my sense of  _ place _ on the plane.”

Catra frowned and touched the strange crystal in her pocket, “The shard, perhaps?”

The demon shrugged, “Maybe? Not all that clued up on… soul transitions. And… that’s my  _ dad _ in there,” she wobbled, then sagged to the floor, “What the hells is going on Catra?”

Looking about, they appeared to be in some backstreet car lot, empty save for a couple of vans. Catra flexed her fingers and sniffed the air, “Ozone is increasing. Can you feel the tingle in the air? Charged particles…. We are due to have some  _ company _ . We need to move, they’ll be zeroing in on us…  _ me _ … shortly.”

“Where?” huffed Glimmer as she clambered to her feet.

“We need to warn Adora. They may have noticed there are two demons, not  _ one _ . If they now know we are working together they may have figured out the trick. Dammit, I thought we had more  _ time _ ,” she growled, “The one time I’d hoped that Heaven would be as bureaucratic as I left it…”

Glimmer laughed and gave her a smirk, “Wow, look how the mighty have fallen. The irony…”

“Shut it, Sparkles. We need to run…”

As they jogged across the asphalt the sky suddenly darkened. Thunder rumbled and lightning stabbed down. The air fizzed with the sudden shockwave and the tar of the parking lot boiled as more lances flashed down. Each bolt revealed an armoured figure, glowing like a small sun. Glimmer hissed and shied back, “Oh damn…”

Catra rolled her eyes, “Really?  _ More _ Centuries?”

Six of the armoured figures stood before them, their garb a strange mix of Grecian helms and overlapping plates. Each held a spear of light, the butt of the weapons firmly planted on the ground. Another flash and Huntara stood there, her mortal guise discarded for a more rugged appearance; her own armour bulky and resilient, inlaid with rich reds and greys that still, somehow, shone.

The Century commander glared at Catra, “You can run. But know that you cannot hide from the justice of Heaven. You have been shielding a  _ demon, _ Catra. This is  _ madness _ . Hand over the items. Surrender, so we may establish the  _ truth _ of things. This interferes with Mara’s Plan!”

Catra folded her arms, “Mara’s plan? You’re totally sure of that? Light Hope took you to Mara, to have her  _ inform _ you of this? Angella? Took you into her confidence?”

“Seraph Angella has been… asked to take some time in meditation,” the Century seemed uncomfortable, but rallied, “Also, part of the guidance of Mara!”

“Uh huh, yeah I don’t think we’ll be taking you up on that offer. Something is rotten up there. Something I should’ve seen. Ever since  _ Adora _ … left.”

“She was murdered!” roared one of the Century’s, their spear suddenly leveled at Glimmer, “By one of their kind! An abomination within the holy city! I was there! I saw it!”

Catra stared at the Century. Her eyes narrowed. Slowly, her whip uncoiled from around her wrist and trailed on the ground, “So. You were there. On the day. The day she died?”

The Century wavered, “I do not answer to…”   


“I am Dominion Catra, of the Fourth Chorus, H erald of the Glory of the Tenth Chapters, Messenger of on High and Vanguard of the End times. Where I go, I bring forth the glory of our Lady. Answer. The. Damn. QUESTION.”

All the Century’s took a step back as Catra’s power flared to life. Glimmer shied away with a hiss of, “Watch the freakin’ light show, Heaven scum!”

Catra didn’t spare her a glance. She drew a deep breath and felt something else shimmer within her. A rush of power, more than she expected. Her light  _ grew _ . And the Century’s cried out in shock. Huntara was dumbstruck and looked about to fall to her knees. She shook herself and raised her spear, more like a shield than a weapon, “It… no. This is a trick. You are no Seraph! No… this is demonic trickery, granted by your… your allies! You can’t channel her… her power!”

There was the sound of denial there, but also fear. The slow, creeping fear that could, given time, lead to realisation. But Catra and Glimmer hadn’t got that time. This power, she knew, she couldn’t hold for too long - it felt different, layered, almost  _ borrowed _ . But it also felt very very tenuous, as if the giver was straining. She had to make it count.

“Stand aside or be cast aside. Our lady has given us all the gift of  _ choice _ , so our souls may be refined through action. Choose wisely.”

A Century screeched in fury and charged. Catra made a flick of her wrist and her whip lashed out. The Century brought their spear up, but it shattered as the flaming tendril sliced clean through. The Angel had a moment of horrified shock before they exploded into motes of light, banished from the plane and back to the Eternal City. Hopefully in one piece; if not they’d reform after a few years.

Hopefully.

Catra huffed, “They chose… poorly.”

Glimmer stared at her, “Seriously. You’re quoting films  _ now _ ?” SERIOUSLY?”

The Dominion allowed a faint smile to ghost across her face as her feline features fully emerged, “What, afraid you can’t do better?”

“You. Are. The. Worst.” Glimmer gripped her staff, “Bring it bitches.”

The angels exchanged worried looks, but it was Huntara who rallied them, “To battle! For the Grace and Favour of our lady!”

They charged. Around them, more bolts of lightning lanced down, across the town and in the parking lot, more Century’s spilling forth, eager to join the fray. Catra grinned and another set of wings unfurled from her back. With a roar of demonic curses, Glimmer vanished in a flash of purple dust and materialised above the parking lot, then unleashed a flurry of dark bolts from her staff. Catra flapped her wings once, a mighty pulse of light and air. Around them, Century’s tumbled away, knocked back by supernatural forces.

Car alarms blared, angels screamed defiance and a demon swore vengeance.

Battle was joined.

* * *

Adora stared at the Trickster, “Me?”

Loki’s grin was now smarm personified, “Of course, sweetie, I mean… Micah  _ asked _ me. Said you’d be along to find him after all.”

“To lure us into a trap,” growled Adora. Loki tutted.

“Not playing with a full deck, huh, Hildy? Well, I see not too much has changed, aside from the ‘do and the nail polish. I can  _ empathise _ . Try-hard, a bit. I mean, round of applause on the scare tactics. But  _ really _ ? We both know you’re a goo-”

Adora rolled her eyes and a tendril of something  _ dark _ flickered around Loki’s neck. The Trickster gagged and went pale as they were yanked out of the chair and dragged by some unseen force across the floor of the bar. Hacking, struggling to breath, they glared up at Adora. The demon cocked her head and beckoned. Loki was hauled up by invisible hands into a kneeling position and Adora planted her boot against the being’s chest, “Bored,” she growled, her voice a reverb of impatience and guttural groan.

“Uh… I think you need to let them breathe? Maybe?” Adora gave a glare over her shoulder, but took a shuddering breath. Bow squeaked, “Just, y’know, a suggestion?”

Lonnie hunched her shoulders as she felt the alien sense of  _ other _ emotions wash over her. Frosta cringed as well, then looked at her, “We should… get outta here. Before this gets too intense.”

“Yeah…” muttered Adora, distractedly, “Most people don’t like to watch me work. Gets… messy,” she almost sounded sorrowful. Loki’s eyes widened and they shook their head violently, “That time in Paris. A village out in Bavaria… ohhh and who can forget that hunt in Columbia. Those men… took  _ days _ . Not my best work, but justice had to be served and I was learning, y’know,” she leaned forwards and whispered into Loki’s ear, “How many centuries of sin do we need to weigh for  _ you _ , Lopt? Or Anansi? Or do you still use Dionysus?”

Loki gurgled something and Bow took a step forwards, whilst Frosta and Lonnie made their escape from the bar, pausing to shoot a worried glance at Jackson, who was retching over the wood. The seer paused and coughed, then nudged Bow and pointed at the Magi. He grimaced and nodded, then moved to Adora’s side.

“Um… Adora. Not to… detract but, maybe we should let Loki at least speak? And, um… the human?”

Adora looked up, her eyes glassy, now all red and black. Her smile was lazy, “Bow… Catra likes you. Well, not  _ like _ likes you. But she trusts you. So  _ I _ trust you! Alright!” she looked at the Magi, “ _ Sleep _ .”

Jackson slumped with a whimper, and an ugly burp. Bow winced as the man slid from the bar and crumpled onto the floor. The Cherub moved over and pushed the thoroughly inebriated and unconscious Magi into the recovery position. Adora snorted, then looked back at Loki. She pushed with her booted foot and sent the Trickster sprawling backwards. The black band at their throat faded and Loki drew a breath, their throat flexing. Yellow eyes fixed on Adora with calculated anger. The demon smirked and leaned forwards, “Try it. People are already  _ trying _ to end me. Join. The. Fucking. Queue.”

They rubbed at their neck, then sat up, “Oh trust me. I tried already. You talk about sin and balancing the scales?” Loki chortled, “What do you think this is?”

Adora’s eyes narrowed, “You tried?”

“Who do you think handed that damned Seraph the scroll? Who do you think was the go between for Heaven and Hell, hmm? Can’t exactly get a Cherub to run deliveries like that, now can you?” Loki’s lips twisted as they gave Adora the once over and an expression akin to guilt seeped in, “It was supposed to kill you. That’s what I was told… well, not  _ told _ , but what I found out. Never ask questions, but always  _ listen _ . Know the job, so you know how far you might have to run.”

The Demon stared at the Trickster and hissed out a single word, “Why?”

“Ragnarok baby,” Loki spread their arms, while Bow stared, shocked, “Or… it was supposed to be. You were supposed to die. Mara was supposed to go ballistic. The war was  _ supposed _ to restart and the slate. Wiped. Clean,” they sagged, “Except it seems the scroll was a  _ dud _ . I didn’t believe Micah when he said you survived. But that was so much later… by then I’d… lost the urge. I was angry, Blondie. Cast down here. But… spend enough time with the mortals and, well, they rub off on you.”

Bow snorted and Loki grinned. The Cherub flushed, “So you tried to  _ kill _ her? Catra is gonna be so  _ pissed _ .”

Loki huffed, “She’s welcome to try, if those Century’s don’t kill her when they find her. That’s what your boy was doing. Seems he tried to narc on all y’all asses! Like I said, he came here, tipped me off. I run a safe haven, I washed my hands of all that political Armageddon BS. I  _ like _ my time here. I can actually do what I want! Not… follow a plan. Or some agenda set by some distant broad, or a shadow with delusions of grandeur.”

That actually tugged a genuine smile from Bow, “You love them.”

“What?” Loki looked defensive.

“The humans… I can see it. You love them… because they  _ love _ you. The mythics, too. You’re a hero to them. But… also a beacon.”

“Well, what else can I be but a guiding light on the stage, darling?” flourished the Trickster, but there was a blush on their face.

“You. Tried. To. Kill. Me.”

“And then Micah told me to  _ save _ you,” riposted Loki, “Don’t get all moralistic with me. You’ve done some shady shit yourself, Hildy. Yeah, I know, the whole Troy siege was messy for EVERYONE. But that Medusa shit? That was COLD,  _ Athena _ .”

Adora flinched, “That wasn’t  _ me _ . She defiled holy relics, then caught the backblast of a CURSE. I actually tried to save… not. The Fucking. Point.”

“Still got heroes to go after her, though, right?”

The demon growled, “Stop. Stalling.”

“Touchy. Alright, babycakes. Micah came to me and he was a  _ mess _ . Said he actually got a wash of what hit you… but  _ then _ turns out there was another scroll…. And someone tried to ice him. He was all set to leave Heaven to find  _ you _ apparently, when they tried to get him. Seems he’d been asking questions. I heard rumours a while back, his own  _ wife _ did it.”

Bow and Adora rocked backwards, shocked, “Angella? Why?”

“Who knows. Why do Mothers do anything?” Loki grinned unpleasantly, “I should know, being one. That one time. Never again,” they shuddered.

“Where is Micah now?”

“He’s… around. Quite literally. That curse they dosed you with? Lets just say it doesn’t play as nicely with  _ other _ celestial beings. Anyway, I need to get you to him. Or a bit of him. Then it’ll guide you the rest of the…”

Thunder rolled. Lighting flashed through the ruined doorway and Adora turned. Her wings flexed, “Angels….” she hissed.

Loki sighed, “Guess time’s up. We need to hurry. Get to my place. Then you can, I don’t know, go see Micah, fix this, stop Ragnarok or whatever. Not my problem.”

Bow frowned at the Trickster, “Why are… why do this?”

“I told you. Penance. I did this. Now I’m fixing it. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I don’t  _ like _ the sanctimonious bitch right there.... Even if black is  _ totally _ her colour. But I’ve got a good gig here and I don’t like the idea of people like the Seraphs calling the shots. Or Mara or whatever’s going on up there.”

Adora stood from the chair as the jukebox died and the power went out. Loki struggled to their feet and approached. The demon turned with a growl, “You summoned  _ them _ here….”

“Duh. Well, no, your little boy there did all that. But hey, now we know it was all a big misunderstanding, shall we  _ go _ ?”

Adora turned and glared out at the thundering sky, “Catra… she was checking… checking your house.”

Loki blanched then fumbled around their clothing. A cell phone was produced and the Trickster glowered at it, then plucked a rune stone from another pocket, “Oh that is  _ just peachy _ . I set all those damn wards and… dissolved. Not even an alarm!” with a huff, they dropped the stone, now just a useless, engraved rock, “Not worth the favours I traded or the paper the contract was sealed on. Your girl is a  _ bitch _ .”

There was a squeak as Adora lifted Loki by the throat, one armed and brought them into her eyeline, “If she has checked your house, found whatever it is of value you have… then I don’t  _ need _ you anymore, do I?”

“...how… you… need to know… how to… use it…” wheezed the Trickster. Adora’s grin was not pleasant.

“Maybe I should just take your head then? Makes for easier portability… less chance of a backstabs. Or your eyes? See what you see? I’m sure Lonnie knows a trick there…”

“No! Please!”

“Adora…” Bow laid a hand on the Demon’s bare forearm. Heat and cold rolled off her - the bar was already frosting over, “Catra needs us.”

Red eyes whipped down to regard him, then the demon nodded. Her gaze flicked across the buildings and she growled, “That way. Keep up Loki. Bow… watch them.”

Loki fell to the ground and hacked as Adora pushed off the ground. Her wings beat hard and she was airborne. The Trickster looked up and glowered at Bow, “Oh joy. Guarded by a  _ Cherub _ . I am so looking forward to your saccharine worldview.”   


“I mean, not really? I just think being nice is…”

“Save it. I could run you know…”

“Try it, creepy,” came Lonnie’s drawl from beside the bar entrance. Frosta glared from next to the Seer, her fists encased in ice. Bow gave Loki a broad smile.

“Come on - we’ll miss the fun.”

Loki huffed, then turned and blinked as he saw Octavia slowly getting to her feet nearby. Getting to her feet next to a turned-over police car, “Um… hoooo-kay. You roughed up my Sheriff?”

Bow shrugged, “Well, she tried to stop Adora. And then she tried to use a Siren call to compel her and… yeah.”

Lonnie frowned, “Adora got bothered by a Police Siren?” Bow looked at her, then at Loki, then at Frosta. All three suddenly burst out laughing. The Cherub wiped his eyes, “Oh, wow I only just got that! Man… you might be an ass, but that’s a  _ pun _ .”

Loki waved a hand, “I KNOW. Too easy buuuut sometimes you have to use the obvious.”

The Dverge shook her head and patted Lonnie’s arm, “The girl’s a  _ siren _ . Gets people to do what she wants with her voice, y’know?”

Lonnie’s face went slack, “Seriously? Y’all have world bending powers and you’re assigning jobs on their  _ pun value _ ?”

Loki shrugged, “I’m a show-person. Give me some credit. Now, shall we, my oh so intimidating guards?”

Bow looked at the sky, “Huh… that’s… a lot,” he glanced at Frosta, “Think they’re all here for…?”

The smaller angel nodded, “Think they’ve realised somethings up and they’re not taking chances… this could lead to collateral.”

“Not on  _ my  _ watch,” growled Loki, “OCTAVIA! Rally the troops. Seems we’ve been stitched up!” they turned to the alarmed faces of Bow, Lonnie and Frosta, “Oh fret not… you guys are cool. For now. I don’t like being made a fool of and that little weasel in there called down the Man on my little slice of paradise. Hildy and I can sort our little… spat… out some other time. Once I’m clear of my debt.”

Frosta glared at the Trickster, “We don’t trust you.”

“Probably wise. Now, we gonna go kick some stuck up angelic ass or do you want to spend time on fashion tips, cos baby you  _ need _ it.”

They moved off, heading towards the backroads.

* * *

It was taxing, channeling the power in such a  _ mundane _ plane. But it was necessary. There weren’t that many Centuries - a good thirty or so, yes, but hardly an overwhelming number. As long as she was able to keep them apart and disordered, they were relatively easy to disrupt. Allow them to form a phalanx, however… and then it would become tricky.

Glimmer was providing excellent cover; her darting form appearing and disappearing to slam her staff into an unprotected flank; or to deliver a surprise bolt of demonic fire into an unexpecting armoured face. It was certainly keeping the angels on the defensive, despite them charging into the fray.

For her own part, Catra had managed to cow several of the more aggressive Centuries. They had attempted to surround her, but been kept at bay by the whirl of her whip, which she wielded like a flame-dancer. She ducked and twirled, spinning it about like a delicate ribbon. Three more fell to the crack of the blinding band of flaming light, whilst the others fell back. Huntara, who had led the initial charge, now hung back trying to marshal her forces to pin the Dominion.

To be honest, given time that wasn’t beyond the realm of possibility - the power surge had allowed her to strike down and force back the enemy so far, but it was likely not indefinite. As a Dominion, with her normal abilities, she would still be formidable - but the foes were many and Huntara was no slouch.

Another Century came forth, their spear twirling like a bo-staff. They caught Catra’s wip in a carefully timed swing that absorbed the momentum, then pulled to try to prevent her from using it. She grinned, then wrapped the band around her wrist, twisted and  _ hauled _ . The Century stumbled and Catra kept her turn going, moving forwards and bringing her arm into an uppercut.

The angel’s helm  _ buckled _ as her punch connected and she watched for a moment as the body flew back before it exploded into motes of light. Another Century darted in to thrust a spear forwards, but she gracefully moved aside. In another move she caught the haft, twisted it out of the Century’s grip, spun, then smashed the pole against the back of the other Angel’s head. She twirled the spear like a baton, then drove the point into the fallen angel’s calf, pinning the being in place.

She leapt back from another strike, spun and cracked the whip back out, sending the advancing troops back.

“Give in Catra! The legions are endless! You will fall eventually! This is  _ hubris _ ! ” called Huntara. Glimmer appeared on the other side of the parking lot to blast a newly arrived Century with a cone of flame, then vanished once more as the angel shrieked in surprise. Huntara twitched and Catra allowed herself to laugh - if only to try to intimidate their opponents.

“I don’t know, Huntara… I think we’re doing ok so far…”

And then she felt it. A thrum of warmth along her bond. A sense of urgency, a wave of protectiveness and completion. Catra relax and tensed at the same time - this was  _ dangerous. _ It was too much of a risk.

But she knew there was no stopping the idiot when she had decided something.

She came down like a hammer onto the largest cluster of Centuries. They scattered like fallen twigs, bowled over as the dark shape plummeted from the sky. Adora hit the ground so hard the asphalt burst and bubbled with kinetic energy for thirty feet all around. The nearest car crumbled and rolled away, knocked by the blast.

The demon stood, her black wings unfurling like a curtain before a play. Atop her head a blue crown of flame burned. Her horns were so black they seemed to drink in the light. Her blonde hair whipped in an unfelt breeze.

The demon surveyed the battlefield as the Century’s scrambled to regroup. Red eyes flecked with blue settled on Catra, and Adora’s voice was a possessive rumble, “You tried to hurt….  _ Mine _ ?”

The lead Century looked stunned. Then one of the Centuries cried out, “It’s her! The killer of the Heir! THE ASSASSIN!”

Huntara actually sounded  _ aggrieved _ . She turned her focus on the demon, “YOU! You… killed Adora! You slew an innocent! The best of us!”

Catra actually squeaked a laugh, “The  _ best _ of us? Wow, I wouldn’t go that far!” Adora glanced at her and flipped the bird and Catra bit her lip. She felt giddy, suddenly so happy. Adora ahd come for her. Was there for her. A sort of reality hit - that Adora would face  _ anything _ for her, just as Catra was facing it all for Adora. Before now she’d acknowledged it in the abstract - she was helping Adora after all… but this was  _ real _ . Put to the test.

The demon smiled over at her, a genuinely fond expression, just visible through the rage and boiling cloud of energy around her. Huntara, who had her spear pointed at the demon looked between the two, “You… you have  _ bonded _ with this filth? She killed Adora! And I know you KNEW Adora!”

“Well, yeah… I still do know Adora,” laughed Catra. The demon chuckled.

“Yeah, I do too. I was there that day after all,” she grinned over at the nervous Century’s,” But wow your drills are sloppy and… I never trained you guys to be  _ this _ poor. Standards have slipped.”

Huntara glared, “What do you know of… anything! Our training? What are you, some former angel who chose poorly?”

“Oh I never  _ chose _ anything, Huntara. I know you though. Remember you. You weren’t there that day, of course. I think you were galavanting around the Steppe at the time? Or maybe Prussia? Some of those here though… oh they know who exactly who I am. I can smell their fear, their  _ deceit _ . It’s so much stronger than a mortal’s.”

Adora bent down and hefted a discarded piece of steel, some piping from beneath the cracked asphalt. She draped it over her shoulders and hung her wrists over it. Around her not one of the Century’s moved. Huntara licked her lips, “So, you know Adora. Of course you do. You ki-”

“Gonna stop you there. I know Adora… Ohhhh I know her. Because. I. AM. Her.”

For the briefest moment, the demon became unfocused. And then her clothes  _ changed _ . One moment she was all biker-chic. The next she was garbed in the robes of Athena-myrmidon plate and greaves, plumed helm and studded armoured skirt. Except it was mostly in black. Huntara gawped, “No… you… you  _ fell?” _

“I. Was. Pushed.”

The Century leader shook her head, “No… no it can’t be. You… you betrayed your mother! Demons… demons LIE! You’re  _ lying _ ! You have to be… because… because.”

Adora leaned forwards, “Because otherwise everyone  _ else _ lied to you?”

Huntara shrieked and charged. It was a sloppy move and Adora let her come. She deflected the first thrust easily, her moves almost lazy as Huntara tried to hammer at her. The steel began to melt under the assault by the divine weapon in Huntara’s hand, but it didn’t seem to phase Adora.

They grappled as Huntara leant her weight against her weapon. Then Adora side stepped and delivered a powerful haymaker against the Century that sent the large woman to the floor, dazed. Adora swung her foot and kicked the Century across the parking lot and through the wall of a squat building nearby. She turned and smiled at the other angels, “Care to try your luck? Second time round for some of you. Just think… maybe you’ll get that promotion this time.”

The spell was broken. The Centuries charged.

And were met by blue flame as Adora pulled her blade from the ether. Catra blinked as the first angel to reached her staggered past Adora and then fell. Their head rolled from their shoulders and the body began to burn with blue-black flames, the soul suddenly consumed and driven to an unknown point in its cycle. Catra gawped as silvery tendrils snaked up and were sucked into Adora’s blade. The demon made several more precise slashes and three more Centuries fell. Their souls, too, dissolved away.

Catra was distracted as another group attempted to assault her, She wobbled as she felt the wash of Adora’s energies and the sudden retraction of her own power. Her second set of wings faded and she shuddered from the loss. That cost her momentarily as a Century was able to land a blow that sent her staggering back, a gash in her pristine white suit. She swore and then stared as Adora howled with rage.

The demon barreled through the throng towards the angel who had struck the blow. The Century, who a second before had a grim smile of satisfaction on their face, turned to find Adora heading like the wrath of ages towards them.

They had no time to even blink.

The blade sunk to the hilt and Adora hefted the angel high, then tossed them aside like chaff.

Catra pressed her back against Adora’s, “Just like old times.”

The demon growled a chuckle, “Funny, don’t remember this many angels with axes to grind.”

“They’re wielding spears, Adora.”

“When did you get so picky?” there was the clash of blades and a shriek of pain. Catra moved with her partner and lashed out, driving another Century back.

“Well, you left me alone for so long, I needed a hobby.”

“Oh, back on that now are we? Hardly… my fault.”

Across the parking lot, Bow and the others emerged from an alleyway and gawped at the pile on of angels as they tried to press the Celestial pairing. Loki whistled, “Damn. That is hot and terrifying all at once.”

Glimmer appeared next to them, panting as she materialised, “Took… your… time,” she glowered at Loki, “This the guy that  _ locked my dad in a fucking mirror?” _

Loki eyed her, “Oh you found him huh… wait…  _ daddy dear _ ? Oh how precious! You’re Glimmer!”

The pink haired demon snarled but faltered, “Why are you so pleased? You had my dad TRAPPED?"

“Not trapped, oh feisty one… in stasis so I could help. I’ve been collecting as much of him as I could… harder these days, I don’t travel too far if I can avoid it. ANYWAY, prioritiiiiies. Maybe we save the big buff demon and her kitty, riiight? Less talking, more chop chop stabby time, hmmm?”

“Do.. .they even need our help?” pondered Frosta. Indeed it seemed the Century’s were being pushed back. Bow huffed then pulled out his weapon.

“Lets not tempt fate. Frosta, distract them. Lonnie, Glimmer, hang back, support with me, ok?”

The women nodded and Bow took aim. He loosed an arrow which exploded in a cloud of pink. The Centuries in the blast staggered and collapsed ina daze. Glimmer began to trace demonic symbols that flashed bolts of darkness out towards the angels on the flanks, harrying them. Lonnie looked about, at a loss for a moment, then she squatted down and began to trace symbols onto the ground, whilst Frosta barrelled forwards to punch and kick at whomever she could reach. Loki watched the seer curiously.

“Arts and crafts, really?”

“When all you have is a hammer….” muttered the witch, “Hit the damn nail,” she finished her simple circle, then pricked her finger. The blood hit and flared to life. In a flash a small portal opened and a familiar, squat shape darted through - a hellhound. Glimmer glanced over and nodded with a pursed lip.

“Good plan.”

Loki snorted, “One doggy isn’t going to do much.”

Lonnie shrugged, “Better than nothing… while I try to I dunno, summon hellfire or something. I don’t exactly have an arsenal here!”

The Trickster glanced back down the alley - there was the sound of fighting back there and they grimaced, “Well… it sounds like my folks have their reinforcements tied up a little at least. We need to finish this… or at least get Micah’s soul… how the heck… oh no.”

Glimmer glanced at the Trickster and frowned, “Oh no? What does that mean?”

“How did you… you didn’t remove Micah from the mirror did you?”

“Duh! He was Trapped! IN PAIN!”

“Shit shit shit. How, please tell me he didn’t go through the portal!”

“What, no! Catra trapped him in… in a crystal.”

“Shit! That’s temporary! And he was already weakened from the  _ cleansing _ . By that salty bitch Mara, we may be too late. You, tall dark and witchy, get that circle  _ larger _ . You, Glitter,”

“Oh not you  _ too _ .”

“Hush… we need that damn crystal. And we need blondie to smash it when that circle is  _ done _ . Or Micah will just…. Ease out and we won’t be able to  _ follow _ him.”

The group stared at Loki, even Bow paused to regard the Trickster, “Follow…?”

“Yes, well… I don’t  _ know _ where Micah is. I have my sneaking suspicion BUT… I know how to find him. Took a LOT to get even that, given how broken up he was. Even when he came to me he wasn’t all there… Well, it wasn’t really him, just the largest chunk of him that remembered stuff…. Anyhoo, I’m gossiping when you all should be  _ doing stuff _ ! SHOO SHOO!”

Glimmer vanished in another shower of sparkles and Lonnie set to scrawling and enlarging the circle. Bow growled and took more shots, slowly driving back the angels.

In the middle of the lot, Catra and Adora  _ danced _ . They spun, ducked and wove between the flailing angelic forces. Adora ducked a blow and Catra rolled across her back to deliver a kick to a vulnerable and off balance Century; The feline Dominion grappled an angel and dragged them into range for a blow from Adora’s blue-fire blade; They moved as one, an impenetrable force of destruction and beauty.

Glimmer appeared next to them, and knocked back another Century, then told them to move towards the rest of the group.

Their advance came to a halt as a blast of lightning lit the world like a second sun and sent  _ everyone _ tumbling. Catra was flung across the lot with Glimmer, whilst Adora tumbled back towards Bow and Loki. The soul shard skittered away from the Dominion and rolled towards Frosta, who had a Century pinned to the floor and was pummeling the dazed being.

Where the lightning had struck now stood three tall, armoured figures. Their lead stared directly at Adora, her blank, white eyes focused on the Demon. She spoke.

“You live.”

The demon grunted and glared up at the Seraph, “Light Hope.”

The Seraph turned and shot Catra a faint frown across the intervening space, “You lied. That is… unexpected.”

Catra groaned and sat up, then blanched, “Ah damn. Well… guess you failed to account for everything.”

The world seemed to freeze as the Seraph regarded the fallen, the Demon and the Dominion, “This ends. Adora, you will do your part for the Plan. Your sacrifice will ensure Mara’s vision is completed. The planes reset to order. Catra, you will fulfill your role and ensure…”   


“Fuck off,” Catra dusted her suit and glared at the Seraph, “You… you turned her into a  _ demon _ . You poisoned her, nearly drove her mad. You…  _ lied _ to us all.”

The Seraphs, all three, turned to regard her, “You speak out of turn.”

“Screw that,” snarled Catra, “You defile what Mara’s vision is.”

“We interpret. This conversation is over. Seize them,” Light Hope’s inflection didn’t alter one jot.

Several things happened at once.

One of the Seraphs lunged for Adora, their golden armour flashing as an axe of light materialised. Adora snarled, parried the blow and  _ beheaded _ the angelic warrior in a single snarling slash. Light Hope staggered backwards in shock.

Catra’s whip lashed out and bound the second Seraph as Lonnie cried out that the circle was done. Loki yelled at Frosta for  _ the shard _ . Glimmer moved to attack as another Century charged towards her and Catra.

The Dverge rolled forwards, plucked the shard up and threw it towards Lonnie. Light Hope moved faster and hoisted her spear and threw it.

It missed the shard.

It didn’t miss Lonnie.

The Seer grunted as the spear of light slammed into her torso and sent her backwards a good ten feet. She sprawled and gasped in pain. Bow yelled in shock, then aimed at Light Hope and fired, his arrow forcing the Seraph to bring her wings up to defend herself.

Loki leapt up and grabbed the shard as it tumbled. The Trickster rolled on the floor then smashed the shard into the circle. The tiny portal already present boiled to life and grew. Wind whipped around and shadows danced across the lot.

Adora looked across the field of battle and stared at Catra, who was still wrangling with the Seraph she’d managed to lasso, “Hurry!” she yelled, an edge of fear in her voice. Catra looked at her and their eyes met.

But then Loki was there in front of her. With a look of intense focus the godling stared up at her, “My penance comes first, blondie,” and the Trickster tackled the surprised demon with a shocking amount of force. Bow saw the move and lunged to try to stop the androgynous being, but was bowled over by their combined weight. The trio tumbled through the portal, through which the white wisps of Micah’s essence were vanishing.

And then the portal snapped shut.

The wind ceased.

Catra blinked in shock and sagged. Her bond felt  _ stretched _ . Distant. She staggered in surprise and sudden disorientation and Glimmer appeared by her side to steady her, “We need to  _ go _ . Now.”

“But… Lonnie…”

And then there was nowhere to go.

Century’s ringed them. Light Hope loomed in front of them. And Huntara strode into view, a flailing Frosta clutched by the scruff of her shirt in one ham fisted hand.

“Mara dammit,” hissed Catra.

* * *

They tumbled out onto soft grass. Adora was on her feet immediately and spun to face the portal. But there was nothing there, save bare stone. She screamed in rage and clawed at the rock, her words a blur of “NO!” and “Let me go! LET ME GO BACK!”

She sagged and took several shuddering breaths, before a hand settled gently on her shoulder. Bow’s voice was calm, gentle.

“Can you feel her?” Adora nodded, slowly, shakily, “Then she’s alive. Unharmed. They need her… to get you. I think they want  _ you _ Adora. And… they know you’ll come for her.”

She turned her face to Bow - all the red had drained from her eyes and they swam with tears, crystal blue and clear, “But… Glimmer… aren’t you? And… and LONNIE!”

The Cherub smiled down at her, his own expression watery, “Of course. But… now is not the time… for…” his lip quivered. Adora heaved a breath and nodded, then clutched his hand. She squeezed her eyes shut.

“Uhhhh that was  _ rough _ .”

They turned and stared at the dishevelled form of Loki. Gone was the feather boa. And their leather outfit was all torn and messed up. Adora rose, the red already seeping back into her eyes, “You… you took us, you…”   


“Well I say! Visitors! Oh my, I swear, my dearest is going to be thrilled! So thrilled! It’s been so long… waiiiit. Is that  _ you _ Athena? And BOW! O h my gosh, both of you? Wow, I mean, hooo. It’s been a while and, y’know, we thought what with the whole  _ war _ and everything we wouldn’t see you guys AT ALL! I mean, I know you’ve been down here Athena... but not  _ really _ , I guess.”

The trio blinked and turned, then really  _ took in _ their surroundings.

High above, they could make out the distant ceiling of a cavern, litl by small chips of gems and distant luminescent plants. Larger, glowing rocks hung down. In the distance was the faint glow of molten rock.

But their immediate vicinity was a grove. Flower beds. And a circle of six pomegranate trees. A floral arch indicated the entrance to the grove and led to a pathway which, in turn led up to what looked like a Grecian villa mixed with a more Egyptian sandstone style.

And under that arch stood a beaming figure. A tail with a prominent stinger swung behind her and she had her claws pressed together under her chin, her face lit with excitement. Adora blinked in surprise.

“Hades?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: Adora doesn't like Marilyn Manson, she just finds certain songs theme appropriate.
> 
> And well... there we GO! How'd y'all like that then!
> 
> As ever.... leave your thoughts and please point out any glaring errors or issues with the text you spot! I've done an edit run through, yet I am but ONE PERSON.


	31. What do we do when we fall.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mermista is annoyed.
> 
> Light Hope reveals her plan and uncertainty reigns.
> 
> A friend falls.

The office was a mess. A literal  _ mess _ . Some people referred to the office environment as a  _ warzone _ at times - politics; Napoleon-like middle managers in a thousand firms being little empire-builders; romantic trysts gone awry. But anyone who’d seen real war would scoff and sneer at such a trite comparison.

The New York office Aquarius Media LLP was, however, an  _ actual _ warzone. Or had been for a full twelve minutes.

Mermista huffed and planted the butt of her trident against the tiled carpets and glowered at the chaos around her. Most of her mortal staff were huddled in the boardroom behind her, the doors sealed and secured by glowing runes. The floor-plate of the open plan was a mess of scorched and shattered desks, vibrating summoning circles and bloodied magi.

And what remained of thirty Centuries in varying stages of incapacitation.

“Ugh,  _ arrogant _ ,” scoffed the Archangel. A lot of her staff onsite were practitioners. Or  _ other angelic beings _ . And their building was warded. And she’d ensured it was warded  _ further _ after this whole debacle with Catra - this time against unwanted  _ heavenly _ intrusion as well as demonic or eldritch assault. Sometimes caution  _ really _ paid off.

Heaven had just tried to assassinate her.

“Um, dearest, call on… line three for you,” came a slightly strangled voice from behind a desk. She frowned and glanced over. Her blue wings fluttered and she hissed in frustration as Seahawk staggered to his feet, forehead streaked with blood.

“The hell? I told you to keep down!”

He gestured next to him and she blinked at the crumbled brown overcoat that  _ had _ been a Century. Mermista stared at the remains of a Century, then looked at Seahawk. She blinked again, “How?”

He stared back at her, “He tried to attack you from behind! No Honour! I… I could not let that happen…” his voice sounded so lost. Carefully she reached across the desk and gripped the dazed man’s shirt. Then Mermista yanked him close for a searing kiss. When they broke apart the man was still dazed but had the broadest grin on his face. He managed a murmured “Adventure…” before he sagged into a chair. The Archangel smiled fondly at the mortal, then plucked the handset from the desktop.

“Yeah?”

“ _ HEY! So, we just got attacked in the HQ, I think the angels are trying to kill us for some reason. Anyway, we managed to vaporise about 64% of the attacking force and trapped the others with circles in the basement, then blew the foundation charges to bury them. OH! And Hordak says there’s more heading for Catra and Adora’s location too! Just thought you should know.” _

Mermista sighed again and let go of her trident. The weapon remained perfectly balanced by her side as she pinched the bridge of her nose, “Yeah, kinda figured.”

“ _ OH! YEAH! Just seen the update. So, uh, they got your place too? What was your success rate? Ahhh guess I should have checked if you’d been captured. Say YES if you have been CAPTURED.” _

“No, Emily, I…”

_ “Well, there’s a possibility that the opposing forces have compelled you to lull us into a fa… what was that babe? OHHH they aren’t captured? HORDAK SAYS YOU AREN’T CAPTURED.” _

Mermista took a couple of steadying breaths, then focused, “You said they were heading for Elberon?”

“ _ Yeah. We’re on the move to my secondary lab. I will update you when we’re on site. BYE!” _

The line went dead and the Archangel let out a growl, then stalked over to where a trio of her magi had got one of the surviving Century’s bound. She glared the armoured angel, the tattered brown coat that had been a vague nod towards a disguise now little more than rags at the edges of the being’s greaves and bracers. The Archangel regarded the being and folded her arms.

“So, like, what was the plan here, genius?”

“I… I will not converse with the enemy! The fallen!”

“Uhhhh, not fallen, brick-brain. Designated heavenly representative on earth. So, my patch, my rules, asshole. Did Huntara send you?”

The Century seemed wrong footed by the question and glanced about, “This… is a den of sin! We were to put it to the torch - to root out the corruption.”   


“Wow,” drawled the Archangel, the word dragged out in a monotone, “And I thought Catra was pompous. She is positively  _ chill _ compared to you.”

“The betrayer! You con-”

“Gonna stop you there, feather-head,” Mermista studied her nails and planted the tip of her trident against the Century’s throat. The being squeaked in surprise - clearly a  _ young _ one: all fire, fury and fish-for-brains. Beside the circle the mortal Magi exchanged concerned glances.

“Wh...what will… will you cast me to the pit?” managed the Century. Mermista arched an eyebrow and snorted.

“Uh, why would I do that? Not like I have a link to the place. Nah, your brothers in arms all got booted back upstairs. I mean, may take a few months for them to reform properly, or be back in  _ fighting form _ , y’know? Did… did this not get explained to you?” Her frown deepened and she dropped the spear-point. The Century looked confused.

“We, we are immortal warriors, should we fall we have failed! And as we are blessed by Mara, we can  _ never  _ fall. But… if we failed, then…” she watched the existential crisis grip the angel and whistled.

“Wow. Who in the  _ planes _ did a number on you.”   


“Light Hope promised this was Mara’s will! That the Plan was ordained! That we would begin the wave that would wipe the slate clean,” the Century glanced around, their androgynous, beautiful face twisted in confusion, “That a Century is the spear of God and always strikes true. That… that this was a place of corruption, of Fallen, of mortal frailty.” They looked at Mermista, then past her to the boardroom. The door had opened and people were emerging, helping one another, comforting one another, “But I see compassion. Mercy. G...GOODNESS. How?”

The Archangel softened and waved for the magi step back. She stared at the Century for another moment as a very  _ mortal _ comparison loomed into her mind, then muttered to herself, “Child soldiers…”

With a swift move, she broke the circle and the Century tumbled free, “What are you going to do?” they mumbled, uncertainly.

“Show mercy. We aren’t the enemy. How old are you, kid? Before you died, I mean. Before you were elevated? Were you a Virtue?”

“A Virtue? Oh! Um, the lowest of the servants of Mara!”

Mermista glared at the being but paused, “Answer the question.”

The Century quailed, then nodded, “Yes… um… I don’t really remember. I - we had to shrive our former lives, to be better Servants of Mara, to be fully devoted to the cause! Our former lives were meaningless.”

Mermista stared at the Angel. In her core a cold fury brewed. Not just rage but  _ hate _ . Hate for the Seraphim, who had gone against the core tenet of the cycle of a soul - that a soul’s experience was necessary to achieve balance and enlightenment.

Every Angel, be they born of Heaven or elevated from their mortal bonds, remembered their past - every act that shaped them, every lesson learned. Mermista remembered the primal depths, as she’d swam with beasts almost as large as the building they occupied; she remembered the smell of temple incense; the blood of sailors who cried out to her for mercy. Every success, every joy, every sorrow had molded her and was a precious thing.

And the Seraphs had torn that away from these Century’s to make, what? Attack dogs. Loyal soldiers.

Just as they accused Shadow Weaver of doing the same to the souls of Hell, to build her Army.

The hypocrisy of it made Mermista snarl.

“My lady?” a voice cut in and she turned to face a squat man. He resembled Frosta - yet another Dverge Angel. He bowed and gestured to the windows, “The NYPD are demanding entrance after reports of… shots fired. Fire services and ambulances are also outside the building.”

The Archangel nodded, “Evacuate the staff. Obfuscate this floor, we need to detain the Centuries until we can decide what to do with them. And any word from Lonnie?”

The man shook his head and Mermista turned to the other magi and Angelic beings in the office. She barked out rapid orders and the magi set to creating more permanent holding circles for the Centuries; the Angels began to fortify the wards once more. The room was a hubbub and Mermista marshalled her people like a General before a battle. Which, in a sense, she was. 

She was halfway through chartering a plane to the airfield nearest Elberon, Seahawk stumbled over, a concerned look on his face, “I can’t reach Lonnie. Or Bow.”

Mermista opened her mouth to speak when she felt a hot lance of  _ awareness _ splash through her mind - a cold feeling of  _ summoning _ .

This wasn’t a Celestial summons; some inevitable weight of  _ obedience _ \- rather it was the mortal  _ plea _ for an audience. It was faint, though, as if the summoner was…

She didn’t even pause to think, beyond barking an order to  _ secure the building _ for her staff. Then she sprinted for the nearest window. Thick glass shattered outward into the New York afternoon and Mermista spread her azure wings. For a moment she dropped into a dive and then, with a decisive beat of heavenly power, Mermista shot forwards, her focus secure.

Time was of the essence.

* * *

Pain was the only sensation. Pain and a strange clarity that this was  _ it _ . It carried with it a horrible sense of melancholy and sorrow - of paths not taken, things yet to be accomplished. The bitter irony that she’d always felt that some things  _ could _ wait until tomorrow - that call to mom, the drinks with friends, saying  _ I love you _ to…

Well, maybe she’d see them. Sooner than she’d expected.

But that thought, as rain pattered across her skin, fluttered at the memory of conversations with the Celestials - how the whole universe was some sort of trial for souls - a slow refinery of their very being, shriving and sorting and broadening them out. So, maybe her next destination wasn’t the two amazing people she’d slowly grown to love these past few weeks. Maybe she’d be a caterpillar. Or a sentient rock.

A tear broke free and she drew in a ragged gasp, the concrete cold against her back.

She didn’t want to lose them. Lose  _ this _ . How would she find them again? Angels had it easy - she was just some mortal, a thing on the conveyor belt - they were the never-moving cogs. How could… she would lose them.

Lonnie tried to sob, but the breath lanced pain through her chest and she coughed blood and air. Air she couldn’t pull back into her.

She rolled onto her side, a painful motion. Her vision blurred but she could see the glowing goose-feathered  _ assholes _ across the concrete. No sign of Bow or Adora. Or Loki. She wasn’t sure if that was good or bad.

But Catra looked to be in dire straits, along with Glimmer - surrounded by the silver-armoured angels, dwarfed by the towering form of the bitch-in-chief. That had to be Light Hope. Bodies lay sprawled across the lot - some of them clearly the grunts - Centuries? But there was a larger corpse - the head several feet away from the body. One Century was squatting next to it and they looked troubled.

Lonnie could hear voices, but she had to strain to catch the words.

“...ora gone?”

“Like I would tell you.”   


“Your impudence is uncalled for, Dominion Catra. You have proven capable, sensible and studious. This obstinance will not stand in the way of the plan.”

The worried Century stood and approached the group. Catra appeared to be in full flow, her voice commanding. But Lonnie could hear a faint trace of fear.

“So, what… drag us in front of Mara for our sentencing? Cast us into the pit.”   


Light Hope’s voice was cold, “No. If you will not join, then you must be extinguished, to ensure no impediments.”   


“You’re seriously going to  _ murder _ Angella’s daughter?” Catra sounded shocked.

“She is a demon. Murder does not apply. So, decide, Catra. You will be an asset. You will have power. Authority. The ability to steer the new mortal realm in a manner you have craved - to crush disorder and ensure justice prevails.”

Lonnie gurgled and saw Catra glance her way. The woman was pretty much all cat now. Her face set in a leonine snarl. Mismatched eyes snapped back to Light Hope and her lips curled into a grin, “As the mortals are known to say,  _ shove it where the moon does not glitter.” _

Glimmer leaned back and cackled. Next to the group, the pink-skinned Angel - Huntara, Lonnie thought she was called - looked like she was suppressing a grin. Light Hope had her back to Lonnie, but the Seer could imagine the Seraph was frowning in confusion. And she was damned if she was going to let Catra go down, insufferable pain though she was. She managed to reach out, every movement a symphony of pain as muscles burned and breath came harder. She saw her hand was coated in blood, which ran thin in the drumming rain. With a grunt she began to trace symbols on the concrete.

“My… my lady,” Light Hope turned, pausing her rebuke of Catra to regard the Century who had interrupted her.

“Speak.”

“Lord Azrael…. Is gone.”

Light Hope looked at the decapitated Seraph, “I can see. He will simply meet us in the Eternal City, given time to…”

“No my lady!” the Century rushed on, their head bowed with nerves. Light Hope frowned, her white eyes suddenly ablaze at the interruption.

“Clarify.”

“He… he is  _ gone _ , My Lady. His… very  _ being _ . Gone.”

Lonnie continued to trace, ignored by the angels. She was just a  _ mortal _ after all. Behind her, down the alley to the main street, she could hear distant shouts and gunshots. Clearly the battle for Elberon wasn’t quite over. With a grunt, she pushed her bloodied palm onto a symbol for  _ Triton _ , scrawled messily in her own fluids. Then she began on a second symbol.

“What do you mean…. He cannot be,” Light Hope was adamant but twitched as Catra cackled.

“Ohhhhh he got  _ beasted _ . I mean LITERALLY. Adora does not waste time. And when she gets back she is going to  _ end _ you, Hope. And everything you hold dear.”

“She is nothing but a demon. She…”

“You wanted her to end things, right,” Catra snarled, “You wanted her to start wrecking the world.”   


Light Hope turned, “No. I needed her to die.”

That drew Catra up short, “You cursed her... but not to make her this?” she snorted, "Well, guess you got a nasty surprise. Karma."

Light Hope blinked, “It was meant to drive her mad then  _ kill _ her. End her entirely. Consume her utterly.”

That drew a snarl from the Dominion who gestured to the Centuries, “Are you hearing this? She just admitted to attempting to  _ murder _ the heir!” Catra stared at Light Hope, “You were her  _ mentor _ . She TRUSTED you!”

The angelic troops exchanged glances. A few seemed to waver, but most were steadfast. Huntara looked  _ ill _ . The tall Century adjusted her grip on the unconscious Frosta still in her grip and glanced warily at the Seraph. But she didn’t speak. One of the other Centuries  _ did _ however, “For the greater good. Mara does not need to be bound by familial attachments. We are serving her.”

Glimmer sputtered, “You… you  _ want _ the war to start again! You wanted her to wreck Heaven, then die… a martyr. A casualty.”

Light Hope nodded once, and the ghost of something that could have been  _ regret _ stole across that porcelain face, “The war never ended. But this ceasefire has corrupted the planes. A reset is required. After Adora’s death, however, Mara did not… commit to a course of action. To ensure the Plan is enacted, we must end things. And ensure Adora does her part. It is a necessary sacrifice. No one being is bigger than creation. Not even the ones we love.”

“Love? That’s rich. She won’t help you,” scoffed Catra.

“That is not your concern. End the demon. Catra, you will explain  _ how  _ Adora did that to Azrael.”

“Wait! Glimmer is… vital… to Adora. Kill her and Adora definitely  _ won’t _ help,” Catra managed, one hand held up to forestall any assault.

“Loss of a close friend is shown to impact decision making abilities of all known sapient beings, regardless of attempts towards serenity. Her demise will make Adora easier to predict.”

“Or it will make it so she doesn’t go rampaging across the world and will just try to kill  _ you _ ,” Catra leaned forwards and a few of the Centuries twitched their spears, “And seeing as she just  _ took Axrael’s very essence _ … how confident are you feeling? She's got _upgrades._ ”

“I believe we can handle one demon,” sighed Light Hope. But there was now an edge to her voice. Her solid and stable demeanour shifted as she glanced back at the  _ corpse _ of the Seraph. A warrior who had been felled in a  _ single _ swipe.

Lonnie finished her symbol and pressed it. Her voice returned for a moment, “You… need hostages.”

All the angels turned to her and the Seraph regarded her with a confused frown, “The mortal lives.”

“Don’t listen… to her….” A new voice, urgent and demanding, interjected. It was hoarse, slurred and angry. Unsteady footsteps staggered through the alleyway and the unwelcome for of Jackson emerged into the parking lot. He clutched a bar coaster in one hand, a symbol hastily scrawled on it, which fizzed and flashed against Adora's continued compulsion. He looked  _ wrecked _ \- sweat beaded and ran with the rain across his stained clothes. He stank of alcohol and other awful things, “She… she’s gonna… try to get you to sh. Sh… shpaaaare the bitches.”

Light Hope’s gaze flickered to the male magi, “I recognise you. Jake.”

“ _ Jackson _ … I am…. The.. Seventh most powerful. Wait, no. No. I am THE most…”

“You guided us here,” Light Hope nodded slowly. Behind her Catra groaned and gestured helplessly at the magi, her expression one that conveyed the word “ _ seriously?” _

_ “ _ I live to sher… sher… sherve the one true…..”

“Thank you. Your service is no longer required,” Light Hope nodded. Jackson beamed, then shrieked. His body convulsed, then folded in half. The  _ wrong _ way. His spine cracked horribly and a grey mist poured from his body. It swirled and looked to be about to fade away, but Light Hope held up a hand. The soul-smoke drifted over and coalesced into a perfect marble. Hope regarded the small sphere.

Then she crushed it between thumb and forefinger.

Catra gasped, as did a few of the Centuries, “You… you ended him.”   


“I reset him. His energy will never be as it was. His soul will never be. But his components will make up something new.”

“But… his soul will… never exist as that again. He will never journey, improve, grow! You… you just  _ broke _ the very laws that we are sworn to uphold!” Catra was wild eyed as she stared at Light Hope. The Seraph frowned.

“The laws are ours to break, for higher purposes than simple mortal advancement. He was a tool that no longer served a purpose. His objective was accomplished. I have merely reconstituted him in the most expedient way,” the Seraph frowned once more, as she made a connection, “Adora did that to Azrael. But that is impossible. A Seraph is the highest being. Our souls  _ cannot _ be sapped so swiftly. Explain.”

Lonnie coughed again, “Adora… will fuckin’ end you. But… she and Catra… are linked.”

The Dominion glared at Lonnie, “Don’t….”

But the Seer just stared at her and tried to swallow, “With those two… alive… you can… bargain with Adora. Kill one or both of the then yeah, she’ll  _ ugh _ she’ll go mad. But not how you think…. She’ll rip Heaven apart and she  _ will _ win. She’ll kill you. She’ll kill… Mara.”   


Light Hope actually swayed at that, “She… cannot do that!”

Lonnie hacked a cough that sent another lance of pain through her, “She’s… insane. I’ve watched her. She’s… Catra’s the only thing keeping her… balanced. Kill Catra,  _ hng _ … she may end the world. Or she may destroy your god. For revenge. For the fun of it. Because you  _ looked at her funny _ .”

“Lonnie, shut up,” Catra looked furious. Her body glowed but she was clearly also  _ exhausted _ . Lonnie managed a weak smile and a faint wink. Catra frowned but didn’t relax, “You were our  _ friend _ .”

“And...I wanna… live. Looks like you’re… not in charge right now…” wheezed Lonnie. She looked up at Light Hope, “So… can you… not turn me to atoms and… gimme a fighting chance?”

Light Hope stared at her, “Your words have merit. But you exhibit the same loyalty as the other mortal. This is an unattractive and undesirable trait.”

Huntara stepped forward, her face now a carefully controlled mask, “My lady… we have tarried too long. We need to go. The mortal speaks sense. She is dead anyway - let her… let her enter the cycle. We are beings of  _ mercy _ . Cruel mercy, but mercy.”

Light Hope stared at the Seer, then nodded slowly, “We are not monsters, though we do monstrous things. Our work is necessary. Thank you for reminding me, Century.”

“I… am a humble servant, my lady. You taught me well,” Huntara bowed her head, but had Frosta cradled to her chest, almost protectively. She did not meet Light Hope's gaze.

The Seraph nodded, uncaring, then regarded Catra and Glimmer. Her expression did not shift, “The mortal is correct. Catra allows us a lever for Adora. And a link - we can ascertain the location of the Betrayer. And this… demon will ensure Angella’s continued co-operation.”

Catra seethed, “Betrayer? You’re still going with that?”

“If she had done her duty, none of this would be necessary. If she had ascended and enacted the plan…”

“She didn’t know you wanted that! At all! Instead you stuck her with a curse and tried to  _ murder _ her,” Catra’s wings flashed out wide and the Centuries staggered backward. Light Hope stared down at the Dominion.

“You will lose. It will be painful. Adora will know, if you are as connected as the mortal claims. If Adora will not die, perhaps you can convince her to be the catalyst in the Plan. It will be better that way. She can find peace, as I intended. She was to die a warrior, in glorious combat, as something greater than even she could aspire. Help me help her achieve this.”   


“You… are insane. And I will  _ kill _ you,” hissed Catra. Her wings folded back down, “Not today. Not tomorrow. But I will see you fall.”

Light Hope nodded, “You believe this to be the case. I understand your rage, but it is unnecessary. Know your place Dominion. The plan will be enacted. The Seraphs have ordained it to be so.”

Golden light suffused the air and in a blink, the group was gone. Lonnie choked and felt her breaths running shorter. She winced as she caught sight of Jackson’s ruined body, then flopped onto her back. The rain was cold on her greying skin and she struggled to draw another breath. One lung appeared to be just fluid and made her gurgle with every breath. She hacked up more blood and phlegm.

Footsteps came up the alleyway and faces loomed above her.

“Fuck, she’s ruined.”

“Ain’t she the one with the crazy Dverge? And the blonde?”

“Yeah, fucked up Loki good ‘n proper.”

One of the faces had a certain lupine quality to it. It leered down at her, “Not so shit hot now, are you?”

Lonnie grunted a chuckle, “Sue me, I just wanted a drink.”

The face snarled, “Well, we’re fresh out. We’re gonna make you wish you’d never brought them angel assholes here.”   


“You won then?” she managed, then winced, “I’m dead anyway.”

“Yeah but we got time to  _ play _ first.”   


Lonnie stared into the sky, at the roiling clouds above. Something moved up there and she smiled faintly. Her eyelids fluttered.

“Hey, assholes! Back off…” Another voice came down the alleyway, “This one of the outsiders?”

Lonnie recognised this one - the Sheriff. And she sounded pissed.

“Yeah Octavia. She don’t look like she got long.”

“Long enough to give us some  _ answers _ for this shit show,” a hand reached down and Lonnie whimpered as she was jerked upwards. The spear haft jostled in her chest and she screamed, “Yeah yeah, like I give a shit. You won’t have a chance to file police brutality,” snarled the Sheriff.

Her face was bloody and her uniform a mess. Lonnie glared at her, “Y’know. I think I’m gonna skip your chain of command.”

“Y’know, I’m with these boys. We don’t really need to know. We just need to vent,” glared the woman. Lonnie looked up and managed a bloody smirk. Octavia frowned and glanced up.

Mermista hit the concrete  _ hard _ . The ground rippled and the men in the alley flew backwards. Octavia had a mere moment to let go of Lonnie before a trident slammed into the Sheriff’s leg. Then Lonnie spasmed and blacked out for a moment. She came to to Mermista’s concerned face. Around them she could make out slumped figures. They seemed alive, if extremely worse for wear. Octavia appeared to be inside a dumpster, going by the pair of uniformed legs Lonnie could just see draped over the side of one of the big containers.

“Hang in there Lonnie… I …. I got you.”   


The Seer managed a feeble grin, “Your… timing sucks.”

“Got here as fast as I could. Couldn’t teleport. Had to hitch a ride on a storm…” the Archangel fumbled with the spear, “Shit… I … I can’t heal this. It’s too much. I wasn’t much with medicine.”   


“No tears. Though I _hk_ I know waterworks are you thing.”

Mermista whimpered and cursed, “No…  _ no _ . This wasn’t supposed to happen. This was supposed to be some stupid demon hunt, some asshole of a Dominion doing a visit, then back to normal. Not  _ this _ .”

Lonnie managed to reach up and cupped Mermista’s face, “Boss, we had a good run. I bought Catra some time. Glimmer too. Don’t… don’t worry. You’re immortal, you’ll see me next time. I won’t remember you, but… but…”

Her breathing was ragged, barely enough to get air into her body. Mermista growled, “Fuck. No. FUCK. I need a fuckin’ doctor,” she tried to lift Lonnie, but the mortal woman screamed in pain, then slumped.

“Just… just let Kyle know… let Rogelio know… let them know I… I love them,” she sobbed and clutched at Mermista, “Tell them. Tell them I’ll find them. Somehow. Somewhere.”

Mermista stared at her, then blinked. Her face calmed suddenly and she stared hard at Lonnie, “Yeah… yeah. You will. Go… go in peace, bravest of my flock.”

Lonnie smiled, “Sap…” she managed a rattling breath, then gasped for air that wouldn’t come. Her eyes went wide and Mermista pressed two fingers to the Seer’s forehead. Lonnie’s eyes fluttered as Mermista bit her own lip, her powers easing Lonnie’s pain, calming her body as she slipped from this world.

As Lonnie’s vision faded, she felt a strange heat in her side. Her dying brain flickered with the memory of a scroll. Of the faces of her true loves. And a strange sense of coming home. “ _ Go in peace.” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A slightly shorter one this time.
> 
> Because the next few are gonna be more quickfire as we barrel to our CONCLUSION.
> 
> As ever, feedback appreciated and noted. This one's more exposition buuut I hope it fleshes things out. the Angels really don't have any real grasp of appropriate venues.


	32. In the House of Hades

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A dark house upon a hill, full of life and laughter.
> 
> Adora makes the final connection.
> 
> An old face finally shows himself.

“It’s been so long since we had company. Well, aside from the dead, you know. They're ALWAYS around. Not that they aren’t special, always love hearing their stories, get some perspective, y’know? But, well, we don’t get much in the way of peer to peer stuff, not these days, am I right?”

Hades was a bubbly sort. Always had been, really. Of course, that had meant a lot of people, both mortal and celestial, assumed a sense of naiveté with regard to the being.

She’d been one of the original occupants of Tartarus. And, as with many things Hell related, had gotten caught up in the mess of the civil war. But then again, many demons and demon adjacent angels had been tarred with the same brush.

Adora, Loki and Bow traipsed after the enthusiastic Celestial, Adora a barely contained bundle of righteous fury and energy; the other two more nervy and wary. Hades had the appearance of a scorpion currently - pincers, tail, melded to a human form. It reminded Adora of some of the older Persian images or even Egyptian beast-gods. She remembered that Catra had, once upon a time, had quite a good relationship with Hades - after all, the Dominion had been responsible for a fair number of heroic deaths in the Grecian era, so they’d had a pretty businesslike arrangement.

The realm they were currently within was a strange litany of contradictions; above them the ceiling of a vast cavern glittered with starlike gems, yet the place was lit as if it were mid day in the Mediterranean. They were climbing a narrow staircase, flanked with white Grecco-Roman pillars. Vines and roses coiled all over, bordering on chaotic overgrowth. The path had sheer cliffs to either side, which led down to the orange glow of boiling rock and lakes of icy water that paradoxically mixed and merged. Behind them, the strange grove sat atop a plateau, lower than the rocky outcropping that held the house proper. 

The House of Hades was an eclectic mix of designs, but mostly seemed to be a Grecian design, with some more modern human affectations. It had that slightly alien appearance that most Celestial constructions all had - the dimensions ever so slightly out of focus; the sense of many, many extra floors or wings contained within a space that should not hold them. Yet, by comparison to the buildings of the Eternal Citadel, it was modest. It was familiar to Adora, but still she noted some minor changes since her last visit. Property damage had been involved. Even though back then she’d been little more than a grief stricken mess of rage, the differences stuck out. She was surprised that Hades was still pretty chill - then again, the underworld deity had been fairly laconic back then as well. Her bubbly chatter barely ceased as they ascended the stairs. The last time Adora had seen the woman, she’d been equally enthused. And  _ kind _ .

The steps emerged onto a wide lawn, with hundreds of carefully sculpted hedges and plants. And yet, again, there was the sense of things being on the verge of chaos - of plant growth just barely held back. Hades paused by a bush and planted her pincers on her hip. She pouted and then huffed, “Flora.”

The bush rustled and a small head poked out: blonde locks woven into a series of braids. A freckled face smiled up at Hades, “Mama!”

“What did mom say about playing in her rose bushes?”

“Um. Don’t?”

“That’s right kiddo. Now, run along. We’ve got guests - can you go let mom know?”

“YEP!”

Adora smirked as the child emerged from the roses, her emotional turmoil momentarily mollified by the sight of the small goddess. She was human looking, save for a slight green tinge to her freckled skin and the obvious scorpion tail that trailed from beneath her sundress, “She is absolutely adorable.”

“Ugh. Kids,” huffed Loki. Adora turned and glowered at the trickster.

“Yeah, you get to stay absolutely  _ nothing _ on all that. How many do you have?”   


“Lost count, blondie.”

“Was that before or after the whole horse thing?” sneered Adora.

Hades winced, “Yeaaaah. We best not let Hel know you’re here. She will … Um … I think the humans say  _ wig out _ ?”

Loki actually looked pale and slid closer to Bow, “Um. Yes. Good plan,” Adora stared at the trickster and smirked.

“I dunno. Sounds awfully  _ tempting _ . I mean, what’s better than a parental reunion,” the tone of the demonic blonde’s voice was dangerous as something else flashed through her eyes. She rolled her shoulders, “And, well, seeing as we’re  _ here _ rather than saving CATRA…”

“Look, Brunnie, I saved your ass. Micah told me to keep you safe so, bam, here we go!” Loki planted hands on hips and cocked an unimpressed stare at the blonde demon. Adora growled and flexed her fists.

“Saved? I could have taken them.”

“Maybe. But then what? The Seraphs just throw everything at you? What gets caught in the collateral? You don’t do big picture, do you honey?” Loki clicked their teeth, “I mean you USED to. Ares was always the hothead, or Thor. But you… what happened?”

Adora levelled a finger at the trickster, “YOU, apparently! And that damn scroll!”

Bow looked between the group and made a slightly impatient noise, “Um, shouldn’t we be, uh, y’know,  _ working out what’s going on!” _

The other three stared at him, then Adora hissed and ran a hand down her face. She rolled her shoulders and cracked her neck, but her stance was tense, “You’re right, you’re right. Much as I want to tie this fucker to a rock and let something melt that smirking face off…. Priorities. We need to save Catra.”

“Wait, Catra? She’s in trouble?” Hades was all business, having listened in shock to the rapid tirade. She held up her pincers, “And… wait… you reconnected? How. What? WOAH, ok, we need, like, a real pow wow, sit down. You guys like tea? Think I mentioned tea, goodness. Right! This way!”

Hades spun on her heel and headed at pace through the gardens, towards a raised patio. There was a group standing there and the diminutive figure of Flora was tugging on the dress of one of the figures. Adora grumbled and followed, the other two trailing behind her.

As they drew closer, it became apparent that most of the group were dead. The transparent aspects and their ragged appearance really sold the whole  _ damned _ feel. Bow winced as they drew closer and Adora held up a hand. They drew to a halt and she glanced at the Cherub, “Not seen the damned before? Thought you said you’d been down here before?”

“I mean, yeah I have…”

“But?”

“But… and this is so insensitive, I know… but I’m kinda used to the souls in the Eternal Citadel. You know? The… end state?”

Adora chuckled darkly, her voice bitter as she spoke, “Yeah… the finished product - paragons, refined souls who have achieved enlightenment. No one likes seeing the sausage get made though, right?”

“And Heaven isn’t exactly doing a stellar job, now, is it?” The pair glanced at Loki, who stood with a hip cocked. The trickster tossed what was left of the feather boa over their shoulder, “What? Why do you think I bailed on the whole hypocrisy drive? I’m good, darlings, but even I gag on some things.”

Bow shook his head and the ghost of a smile passed across Adora’s features. She shrugged, “Even a busted clock can be right twice a day, I guess,” she looked wistful, “Just needed a change of perspective, I guess.”

“Yeah…” Loki looked awkward, then averted their gaze, “Look… blondie… for what it’s worth I am…  _ sorry _ shit went down the way it did. I was a pretty bitchy excuse for an angel. Too in love with my own kool aid, y’know? But I am what Mara made me…. But that’s a shitty excuse.”

Memories of cold slopes along a fjord; mad cackling and the weeping of mortals; the flash of flames and the growl of wolves. Adora blinked back the memories and ground her teeth. She closed her eyes, she tried to keep her breathing steady but the horns threatened to burst forth and she could feel the roiling rage just beneath her skin. She managed to rein it in. Just. “Yeah. Yeah you were. You were  _ insane _ . But here we are. You’re going to explain all… this?”

Loki looked around and grimaced, “I… well, I kinda only acted as the middle man with Micah. I knew he had something planned and he asked to, y’know, get things done, shake my ass about, move things about, get my hands dirty now and then,” the trickster spread their hands in a jazz wave. Bow huffed.

“Ripping his soul out of the  _ other _ souls and leaving them to suffer.”

“Hey, I had  _ one _ job,” Loki shrugged, “And if I started sending  _ Prime corrupted souls _ out into the system, then, y’know, cat, bag, out. I was being  _ sneaky _ . You should try that sometime…” they shot Adora and Bow a pointed look, “Because your attempt at  _ subtle _ blew my FUCKING TOWN UP.”

Adora growled and paced, “You put the target on them. Don’t sass me. Hell, your boys tried to be  _ cunning _ . And you sold us out, so can the attitude,” her voice dropped an octave into the  _ I will gut you _ register. Loki clamped their mouth shut, but maintained a glare. Adora turned away as Hades waved at them from the patio. The trio moved forwards and caught the tail end of the conversation.

“...nk you, Kore.”

“You know you can use my name,” the figure that was facing the dead crowd was willowy, shorter than Hades, but still imposing, with her blonde hair in a messy frizz down her back. She wore a Grecian dress, but dappled with patterns of flowers at the hem. If one squinted, those flowers also looked a lot like skulls.

“Bu...but it is… unlucky,” one of the dead petitioners mumbled. They looked like  _ old _ ghosts - greenish around the edges, almost formless, but still with vestigial features: the speaker had the echo of a tunic and a memory of a black beard - his former form phased in and out, between the formless green cloud that he seemed to be becoming.

The woman laughed, “Well, as long as it isn’t  _ Dread Persephone _ , or  _ Despoina _ , I think we’re good. Perfuma is better now. I left all the rest behind after this one took the reins,” and she looked to Hades with a fond smile. The muscular god smiled bashfully and rubbed the back of her neck with a pincer.

“Aw, shucks hun. I mean, you were doing so good!”

“Mystery cults and people too scared to speak my name weren’t  _ good _ , my love. It all worked itself out at least. Anyway,” Perfuma turned back to the dead, “Hades has granted a part of the Asphodel fields for your party before you make for the gate. Take your time and we will provide the necessary preparations.”

The ghostly beings spoke briefly, all uttering thanks, then they faded away. The blonde woman sagged and smiled wearily at Hades who frowned, “You ok, my love?”

“Just more every day. Weaver is really… it’s  _ bad _ out there.”

Hades traced a pincer down the side of the woman’s face, “I know. Well, we do what we can. Without rocking the boat.”

“Just it feels so… this is  _ our home _ , why is  _ she _ …” around the garden the plants writhed and coiled, like waves before a storm. Hades smiled and pulled Perfuma into a hug, whilst Flora bounced excitedly.

“Oh! Mom! Do that again!”

Perfuma laughed into Hades’ shoulder then looked up. She caught sight of the trio and smiled broadly, “Adora! You’re back! And…. BOW! By MARA! WOW!”

“Heyah  _ Dread Persephone _ ,” smirked Bow. Perfuma made a swatting motion at him, then shot a mock scowl at him. Then she spotted the third member of their party and her face fell into a neutral gaze.

“Loki.”

Loki grinned, “WOW I feel welcomed. No bread and salt for  _ moi _ ?”

“Am I allowed to cram it down your thr-”

“AH! No, babe… remember, smooth, calming breaths. Like you taught me?” encouraged Hades, “Like, when we found out about that um… play? I think it was a play. Or drama? By that Walt guy? About me and I went into a spiral and…”

Perfuma turned and patted Hades on the arm. Her expression was gentle, “Yes… I know. And you’re right,” she turned back to the trio, “I suppose I can guess why Loki is here… but you two? And  _ together?” _

Bow laughed, “Oh no, not like  _ that _ . Well… more like something else. But we are on the same side.”

Perfuma and Hades winced, “Sides… there shouldn’t  _ be _ sides…” murmured the willowy goddess. Adora sighed and then glanced at the space where the dead had been.

“So… you smuggling souls  _ out _ of Tartarus?”

Hades folded her arms and fixed Adora with a level expression, “I can neither confirm nor deny…”

“Hey, I don’t give a crap,” shrugged Adora, then she grinned, “After the day I’ve had, part of me just wants to burn it all down and start again… Shadow Weaver breaking the whole cycle just so she can deny Heaven souls? Or at least bottleneck things. It feels… it always felt weird. So, not to sound impatient… except I  _ am _ … someone mind telling me why we’re  _ here?” _

Hades looked back and forth between the group, then nodded, “I think you all need to come inside, get some tea and we can catch up.”

Adora grimaced, “I’m a bit antsy. I need to get back. I… I think Heaven has Catra.”

“Well, she is an Angel,” chuckled Hades, but she also looked troubled, “You said she might be in danger, though…”

Adora shook her head, then pressed a fist to her heart, “No… she… she found out about some.... conspiracy and I think they’ve taken her. And it involves _me._ ”

Hades exchanged a glance with Perfuma and nodded, “Then we  _ definitely _ need to catch up.”

* * *

The interior of the House of Hades was warm, cosy. A fire burned in a hearth at the end of a main room just inside from the patio. The dimensions within were subtly different and the decor was less Grecian and more modern-human. A large rug spread across the floor and several couches covered in cushions faced one another alongside the fire. Adora glanced at Bow and chuckled, then she smiled at their hosts, “I see you redecorated.”

Perfuma paused and folded her arms. She gave Adora a mock glare, “Well, since you didn’t exactly take my advice on  _ centering  _ yourself and instead decided to have a tantrum on your last visit….”

Bow gave Adora the side eye, “Say what now?”

“Heyyyy. I’d just… well it was just after I’d landed here,” Adora crossed her arms and paced, her face set into a scowl.

“AND just after an audience with Shadow Weaver…” murmured Hades. Perfuma nodded and Adora huffed.

“I wasn’t exactly a happy person.”

“Quelle surprise,” singsonged Loki. That got them four glares and they held up their hands, “Hey, mea culpa, darlings. I’m the one doing all the penance here, right? Come on, Perfuma… I’ve not exactly been  _ shirking _ have I?”

The underworld goddess glowered then sighed and closed her eyes. She drew a deep, calming breath, then gestured to the couches, “I cannot fault Loki currently. They have actually done a good job…”

Adora scoffed while Bow took a seat on one couch. Loki managed to drape themselves over the arm of Bow’s seat and ended up with their head in the Cherub’s lap. Bow winced and Loki smirked up at him, “Don’t mind me.”

“Behave, trickster. Or Glimmer may just gut you,” snarled Adora. Her stomach churned; she felt like a caged beast. They were sat here while Catra… she didn’t even  _ know _ . She felt their connection, like a taut string. It thrummed and pulsed, an indication that her beloved still lived.

It was a stay of execution though - if  _ anything _ happened to Catra, Adora wasn’t sure what she would do.

The act likely would not be pleasant for any plane of reality.

“Ohhhh who’s that? Girlfriend?” Loki smirked up at Bow, who flushed. Perfuma squealed and clapped her hands.

“OH! That’s amazing news! Who is she? Where is she?”

Adora spread her arms over the back of the couch and snorted, “Angella and  _ Micah’s _ daughter. Don’t think you met her when she landed here…”

Hades and Perfuma stared at Adora and exhaled slowly, then Perfuma spoke up, “Oh my goodness. And… and she was in Hell. And… oh, by Mara, that’s awful.”

“Yeah I’m getting the sense we’re missing a  _ lot _ of connections,” huffed Adora, “So… can someone fill in the blanks? I get that Micah’s been soul-shattered. And that Loki here has been collecting things.  _ And _ that Loki delivered something to Light Hope. So, please, if someone would  _ kindly _ help and I can then get on with kicking in the doors to the Eternal Citadel. Y’know, what I SHOULD be doing…”

Loki sighed, “Like I said. I was paying Micah back. I owed him a favour for the whole ‘gig on earth thing’. Aaaand for the whole… giving the Light Hope the scroll from Shadow Weaver.”

Adora froze, “What.”

Hades exhaled, “Ooooh - kay. I think we allll need to take a breath and…”   


The shadows in the room darkened and the fire began to dim. Blue flames sprouted from Adora’s hair as her breathing began to speed up.

Perfuma winced and looked about, “And we just redecorated…”

Adora’s fists clenched and then she fixed Loki with eyes that were now blood red, “What. Did. She. Do?”

Loki swallowed and sat up, hands held up placatingly, “I… I told you about the scroll already. I told you I was told it was meant to kill you. We  _ established that!” _

“You neglected to mention  _ Shadow Weaver _ .”

Loki winced, “Honestly… thought that part would be preeeeetty self evident.”

The others, save Adora, exchanged glances. Then Hades piped up, “I mean, Prime is also a bit of a contender, y’know?”

“He is creepy. And does like the whole manipulation thing,” mused Perfuma, “And Weaver was fairly content to just wallow for a while so, I mean, there were other options…”

Adora inhaled and closed her eyes, but Bow leaned forwards, “Adora, going all beast won’t help Catra. We need answers and you  _ can’t _ just fly off the handle. We can’t afford it.”

The demon’s eyes snapped open.

They were red.

Her mouth opened into a snarl. “We are wasting time. I was wronged. I am here,  _ having tea _ while Catra waits on the whim of a fucking  _ psychotic seraph _ . This will not stand. Shadow Weaver will ANSWER my questions.”

“Adora wai-” before Bow could even get off the couch, Adora was out of the door and on the patio. There was a thump as huge wings beat the underworld air and the sudden absence of oppressive  _ rage _ indicated Adora was gone. The Cherub sagged back and sighed.

“Well. That could have gone better,” hummed Hades. She glanced at Loki and huffed, “I’d say that’s pretty low down the whole  _ fixing things _ scale.”

The trickster at least had the good grace to wince, “Yeah… that was… a slip.”

“She’s gonna get absolutely… she can’t take on SHADOW WEAVER!” wailed Bow, “We need to help her!”

Perfuma rubbed her hands together and sighed, “Honestly… there isn’t much we can do.”   


“We can FIGHT!” protested Bow, “All of us against…”

“Yeah, no…” sighed Hades, “We try going to Weaver’s demesne in the centre of Hell? En mass? She’ll  _ know _ . And we’ll have to fight our way past everything she has. But… maybe,” she bit her lip, “Adora by herself? Weaver might not…”

“So, happy accident? You get to see your tyrant slain? You’re USING her!” exclaimed Bow. Perfuma held up a hand and shook her head.

“No, Bow. We didn’t  _ plan _ this. Hades is right - we try to help, we may end up actually hurting her. Right now… Weaver will just assume she’s returned. We go as well? She’ll sense you. Sense Loki. And that’s if she isn’t tipped off. While you’re here, you are both safe.”

“You’re sure?” Bow swallowed and ran a hand through his dark hair. Perfuma smiled softly.

“Of course. It’s how we kept our house-guest hidden, after all,” Perfuma reached over and clasped Hades’ pincer, “We were here well before Shadow Weaver… and despite her rather thorough co-opting of the realm, we are far more attuned to it.”

Hades coughed, then smiled at Perfuma, a flush on her face, “Yeah. Weaver’s, um… she’s got plans. I mean, when she started that whole equality drive eons back, it sounded good, y’know? I mean, Hell always got a bum deal. Always bottom of the pecking order. But, man…. I really should’ve read the fine print. I’m… we shouldn’t have stayed neutral. But ‘Fuma here, she worked out we better play it safe, make sure we didn’t swear full fealty and lose our grip.”

Bow nodded and smiled sympathetically, “You need to survive. No sense getting caught in the middle. We lost whole planes of existence, so many souls just… yeah,” he sighed, “Bad times. So… um… now what?”

The couple exchanged a glance and Hades shrugged, “Well, we hope… hope Adora doesn’t, um, well… and we can help. We CAN. With other things. SO, um… let’s introduce you, I guess?”

Bow frowned and Loki sprang to their feet, hands clasped together ”OH! This is going to be FABULOUS! The last piece!”

With a groan, Bow stood, along with their hosts, then followed the pair deeper into the house. Flora danced between columns, chasing a few scattered souls. Bow watched and gestured to the girl, “So, what’s with the souls? The ones you’re… smuggling out?”   


“Oh that? Well, um… since Shadow Weaver locked down most of Hell, she’s been slowly turning the reformation system into a sort of production line.”

Perfuma glowered, “Making soldiers. Twisting the souls into angry  _ things _ that she can send out and cause havoc on the planes. Or she wants to…. She’s got Prime working on how to unleash them.”

Bow frowned, “An invasion? I thought that was impossible… aside from summonings, or…” He shook his head, “Heaven. She wants an army to assault heaven. Earth would be… what? A staging post?”

Hades shrugged, “Shadow Weaver doesn’t  _ want _ the apocalypse to happen. She wants to RULE everything. She wants Mara’s seat. I can’t speak for what Light Hope wants….” she grimaced and Loki cut in.

“She just wants everything reset,” they drawled, “Honestly, it boils down to that. Aaaaand maybe she and dear old Light Spinner were trying to use each other. Just that Light Hope isn’t as  _ cunning _ .”

Perfuma sighed, “Seraphs: always a little too arrogant. No… balance.”

Bow shrugged, “Not much experience of them, beyond running messages. Hope always creeped me out, if I’m honest. Angella seemed… nice. Only met her once.”

Hades and Perfuma exchanged smiles, “Angella is  _ lovely _ . I… well, talking to Micah I think you’ll understand a few things. And if… if Glimmer is in Heaven’s clutches,” Perfuma’s face shifted to a frown of worry, “Then the poor woman is really in dire straits.”   


Bow shook his head, then stopped, “Wait. Angella was the one who sent Catra out on this mission. You don’t think she…?”

Perfuma smiled, “That she was perhaps trying to sabotage things? Oh, I wouldn’t put it past her.”

“But Glimmer said she  _ banished _ her… her own daughter!” Bow blinked and then chuckled, “To  _ protect _ her. But she ended up in… hell.”

Perfuma nodded, “Likely because she tried to send Glimmer to…”

The group approached a door and Hades sighed, “...her father,” the door creaked open.

Beyond was a room that seemed brighter than the rest of the house. Drapes fluttered by a tall window, which granted a view of a volcano surrounded by verdant fields. It seemed incongruous, given the cavern roof high above. A man stood by the window, gaze locked on the vista.

Another man sat at a small table.

Playing chess against another man.

A fourth lay on the bed, humming. A fifth sat in a chair next to the bed, gaze intent upon a scroll. A sixth sat behind an easel near the door, clearly painting the room and its occupants.

Bow gawped. All the men were identical. Long black hair drawn into ponytails, messy black facial hair, wide, intent eyes. A hint of mania pervaded every face he could see. All of them paused at the  _ exact _ same moment and turned to regard the visitors.

Hades smiled warmly, “Hey Micah, how’re we doing? You’ve got guests!”

“ _ Adora?” _ all of the figures spoke at once, their voices a strange echo with minor variations - one was excited, another fearful.

Bow smiled weakly and waved, “Um, hi. No. I’m uh… Bow. I’m friends with Adora and Glimmer?”

_ “Glimmer!”  _ echoed the voices, save the painter who whispered  _ “Baby-girl…” _ his gaze suddenly distant. Then all of the faces focused on Bow and spoke at once, “ _ Where is she? Is she safe?” _

Bow froze and glanced at Perfuma, who winced. She stepped around her wife and gestured to the figures, “Let’s all sit down. I think Bow has a lot to explain…”

Loki chuckled, “What a shame, you  _ just missed _ Brunhilde as well…”

All the Micah’s turned to stare at the trickster. Two smiled broadly, one scowled, one shook his head and the other two looked at him quizzically, “ _ Loki,” “Anansi,” “What?” “Coyote?” _

“Wow, this is amazing, an audience of one with an echo! I LOVE it. Micah, baby, we should’ve hit you with some Prime gunk eons ago.”

_ “Adora? Is she here?” _ echoed one Micah, another one repeating the sentiment a second later, before a third cut in with, “ _ Has Light Hope found her?” _

_ “Yessss,” _ drawled a voice from the hallway and the group all spun as yet  _ another _ Micah limped in. This one was mostly translucent, ragged. He trailed white mist behind him. Bow stared, then looked at Loki.

“Is… what is that?”

“The last piece,” whispered Loki, “Wondered where he was …”

Perfuma moved forwards and clasped the arm of the final Micah, “Welcome, Archangel. The road has been long and we need to get you stabilised.”   


_ “No… time… Adora goes… for the Weaver.” _

The other Micah’s gasped in unison, a tumble of words suddenly in the air,  _ “Too soon!” “Not ready!” “Prime will strike!” “Even a puppet has strength!” _

That made Bow turn to the group, “What? Puppet?”   


The Micah’s nodded and spoke as one, “ _ Weaver is ambitious. But her path was carefully laid by another. One who desires access to this realm.” _

Perfuma stared at the group, “You never said this before!”

Micah (all of Micah) looked to the goddess and blinked in unison, “ _ We could not… until our last self arrived. The memories… jumbled. Lost. Being too long apart makes thought difficult.” _

Hades whistled and leaned over to Bow, “The man is  _ not _ kidding. Lovely guy but, hoooo, trying to keep a conversation going when you don’t know which one’s going to answer? Or even WHICH question you asked that day he’s gonna answer? It’s a DOOZY I tell ya.”

“Dear, not helping,” chided Perfuma, “Although… that does explain it; why we weren’t told this rather  _ pertinent _ fact,” she harrumphed, then glared at Loki, “Did you know?”

_ “MOI?  _ Madame, you WOUND me.”

“Cut the crap, Loki,” growled Perfuma and her hair whipped up. Loki made a squeaking noise and held their hands up.

“Nope! NO! I mean, I knew I had to clean off the eldritch… ick... From the soul stuff. That mirror was a  _ godsend _ . Literally. I mean I literally got sent it by a god,” Loki grinned at Bow, who just blinked and shrugged helplessly, “Wow, tough crowd… but no. But I guess... in a way it _was_ Prime that set this all up...”

The Cherub startled suddenly, “Wait… why didn’t  _ Hordak _ say anything?”   


Hades blinked, “HORDAK? Where?” she looked spooked.

“Uh we… we met him. On Earth.”

That got a snort from Perfuma, “So that’s where he ended up. Um, you’d have to ask him. Though I know he didn’t part with Prime on great terms - the monster doesn't approve of... initiative from his constituent parts. And, well… it might be Hordak wasn’t able to remember,” she gestured at Micah, “Prime has… power over the minds of others. And a being that manages to break away from the collective? Who knows what they are like, mentally…”

Micah (All of him) nodded in unison, “ _ One puppet. The other tempted by offers _ .”

“Light Hope…” murmured Bow, as he took in the split Archangel, “Is she corrupted? Puppetted?”

“ _ No. She is tempted. Drawn to a goal long abandoned by Mara. Light Hope abhors change. She wields the threat promised by Shadow Weaver to keep others in line… I was the example she set.” _

Bow looked at Micah, and finally saw the damage. Not just a man split - but the ragged  _ outline _ of his soul. Or souls. The faint transparency of his very self. If looked at a certain way he seemed burned. Scorched down to his very essence, by some otherworldly corrosive  _ thing _ , “What happened?”

_ “The scroll. The spell. It was meant to kill. But Weaver planned a contingency - she banked on The Heir being stronger… able to take the corruption.”  _ Micah shrugged,  _ “It merely amplifies the extremes within. But for an angel, such forces tear us apart. Weaker angels are destroyed utterly. Archangels,” _ he gestured to himself _ , “Seraphs also. Burned away and broken from within. Adora is strong, focused. I hoped… hoped to help her. Ease the pain.” _

Bow puffed his chest, “She is strong. She fights the thing inside, she can beat it. She’s tough, resilient. She survived on Earth, alone… and with Glimmer.”   


The Micahs blinked, “ _ Glimmer was with her?” _

“Yes. They survived. They thrived. And… and Glimmer needs our help as well. That’s why Adora is going to face Shadow Weaver. Can you help us? Tell us  _ anything _ .”

_ “Weaver will try to turn her rage against her. Break her. We must help her.” “Prime will intervene, twist things.” “Light Hope will want Adora. To trigger the end of things.” _

The Cherub gestured to Micah, “Was… was it Adora who did this? In her rampage?”

“ _ No. Hope. She has more scrolls. Uses them to threaten the Seraphs.” _

“WHY?” Bow wailed.

“ _ The end of all things.” “Armageddon.” “A cosmic reset. She feels it will cleanse the universe.” _

The final Micah limped to a chair, guided by Perfuma. Strangely, he spoke out of sync with the others,  _ “It will not work. Such an act will allow a moment, a gap. For Prime to enter fully. He is partially in Hell, masquerading as a duke, despite all knowing him to be something from BEYOND. Shadow Weaver feels herself in control, no doubt. Her pride will not let her feel otherwise, though she dances… to the tune of another. Her ambition for his conquest.” _

“Wait… wait,” Loki held up a hand, “How do you  _ know _ this? I mean, you didn’t mention any of  _ this _ ,” the trickster made a complicated gesture to encapsulate  _ everything _ in the room, “When you asked me to haul your crippled essence back here.”

_ “We suspected. Surmised. Light Spinner rebelled… and I believe that coup was after she tried to bargain with a being beyond. She felt she could command the beast, use its power.” _

Perfuma scoffed again, “Pride…”

_ “Lost records in the Archives… Light Hope wants the end, she believes Weaver wants it too - Weaver must have approached her, somehow. Given her the means and promises of co-operation. Light Hope believes she is helping Mara.” _

“Why isn’t  _ Mara _ doing anything?” Bow ran his hand through his hair, and paced.

“ _ We do not know. No one has spoken to her. Angella…my sweet Angella tried to warn me. She was being forced, held hostage with threats to me. And Glimmer. I did not know. I tried to get through, to see Mara… and Light Hope ambushed me in the halls. Struck me with the scroll spell. I was lucky, though. My proximity to Adora during her escape must have given me more… immunity. I was able to stave off the pain, flee. Where I conscripted you, you mischievous dog.” _

The Micah’s all wagged their fingers at Loki, who curtseyed, “Thank you? I suppose?”

_ “But Hope will have refined the weapons. She will use any and all means to enact her Plan.” _ slowly their voices became more unified, their movements more coherent, “ _ She was converting souls to Century’s. Mirroring the acts of the Weaver. I believe she suspected some form of treachery, when Adora did not simply die.” _

“So what do we  _ do _ ?” Bow looked at the group. Perfuma folded her hands and pursed her lips, while Hades frowned.

“Well, shucks. We can’t just sit here. And we can’t go barge in without having a heck of a scuffle on our hands. Buuuuut,” And Hades smiled slowly, “Doesn’t mean we can’t cause a  _ ruckus _ . A distraction… might even confuse that parasite, Prime.”

Perfuma glanced at her wife and arched an eyebrow, “That’s your  _ cunning plan _ face, sweetie.”   


“Yeah, well… remember Orpheus?”

“Oh, such a nice young man!”

“Yeah, well, remember him trying to pull that soul away?”

“Yes, yes indeed. But poor dear, he got suckered. Too impatient for his own good. I did warn him.”

“Well… maybe we can do something similar?”

Bow looked between the two grinning goddesses. Beside him Loki smiled suddenly, as realisation kicked in. Micah ( _ All of him _ ) also grinned, and Bow cut in, “Could SOMEBODY fill me in?”

Everyone turned to look at Bow and spoke in unison: “Jailbreak!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WELL HOWS THAT FOR AN INFODUMP AND A HALF!
> 
> As ever... lemmee know whatcha think.
> 
> (Basically, this is my version of Shadow Weaver having attempted that Rite from Canon... except she wanted to guarantee her own power in this... to usurp Mara who she felt was weakening... THIS WILL BECOME CLEAR SOON)
> 
> Hope y'all enjoyed ;)


	33. Gone but not forgotten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Heaven is wrong.
> 
> The Seraphs are met.
> 
> Another player makes their move, to place a queen on the board.

Arriving in Heaven should have felt like a balmL Normally a sense of belonging would wash across her and salve her fears; a golden light would suffuse her being and reinvigorate her tired form.

But instead, as their tired group materialised in the Hall of Prayer, she felt a cloying sense of  _ otherness _ .

Heaven didn’t feel like home. The atmosphere weighed down on her, oppressive: like the humid heat of a swamp. It felt thick with something, as if the Eternal City itself was reacting to something  _ wrong _ , like a body fighting an infection.

Heaven wasn’t just a place - it was an extension of Mara and clearly it knew something was very off.

The main hall was a grand circular chamber, ringed by vaulted arches which were in turn supported by grand pillars. A grand mosaic covered the floor, depicting the mortal realm in a stylised fashion. As one blinked, the mortal realm shown changed without actually moving - Earth, then Eternia, then Thundera then somewhere else. Some world out in the various planes that held another batch of mortality striving to improve itself in the eternal cycle of enlightenment.

Virtues moved about the edges of the hall, their heads bowed low. Catra had never quite noticed it before; the deference that the junior angels showed. She always thought it  _ proper _ . Or had done since she’d taken up a higher role as a Dominion.

But now she felt a pang of remorse. How many ideas were stagnating because these beings did not meet the eyes of their ‘ _ superiors _ ’? Kyle and Rojelio had shown that rank meant little in terms of competence.

She also noticed the guards.

Centuries.

But so alike as to be indistinguishable. They looked akin to the robots that Entrapta and Hordak had created. No uniqueness, or personality. And EVERY angel should have  _ something _ to distinguish themselves - that was what marked them as part of Mara’s endless, bountiful creation. Imagination, creativity, a bit of  _ flair _ .

But these were akin to molded golems. Things. Barely angels.

_ Manufactured _ .

The thought slammed into her and Catra gasped as the full magnitude of the implication finally registered - What Light Hope had intimated about the souls being turned.

A hand pushed at her from behind and Catra turned to glare at the Century behind her. Eyes stared back through the silver helm. Eyes that bordered on madness.

A mortal given the power of an angel and told that they were serving  _ justice _ . Not carefully led to it, not guided to that power - no, this being had been elevated and given powers that could level buildings.

And they believed themselves  _ righteous _ .

So, Light Hope was, what? Elevating souls like a factory? Building an army?

How had no one raised this?

She scoffed at the thought - who would they raise the objection to? The Seraphs? THat would result in dismissal or likely an exposure to whatever punishment Light Hope used to keep her loyalists in line. Except Light Hope was still slightly cautious - she hadn’t stopped Catra  _ immediately _ . It was only when that idiot, Jackson, had tipped her off that she’d struck directly.

She looked over at Glimmer and pursed her lips. The demon shivered and clutched at her arms. Tendrils of black smoke wafted off the girl and Catra blanched as she realised the sheer  _ weight _ of heavenly energies were likely cutting into the demonic essence that now permeated the demon girl.

“Light Hope! Wards! Glimmer needs wards!” she tried to pushed forwards, but another Century stepped in front of her and shoved her back. This one had Catra’s whip on its belt. She sneered at the angel, then jerked forwards. The Century stumbled backwards in shock, but Catra held still. Armour rattled as the other Centuries levelled spears, but none moved.

Light Hope turned and frowned. Then she nodded once and traced a rune in the air. Glimmer immediately ceased shivering. She sighed but grunted as she bit it back, clearly unwilling to give anything to the angels. The Seraph nodded again, “It would not do for the demon to expire before we have made use of her.”

Catra gritted her teeth, then glanced at Huntara. The Century looked miserable, the Dverge slung over one shoulder. Catra had no sympathy - the warrior had picked her side. When Adora came… and Adora  _ would _ come… the Century would die.

Catra knew it as she knew the tides of war, knew the lusts of mortals in her role as Astarte; knew it as she knew her own soul. In the back of her mind she could feel her love - far distant, surrounded by  _ heat _ and  _ fire _ and  _ change _ . That covered any number of places in the planes, but Catra had an inkling of where the demon was. She just hoped she was safe and that Loki would not double cross the blonde.

Or try to at least; Adora wasn’t very forgiving these days, but even way back, she’d never gone easy on the Trickster. She doubted the shapeshifter would stand a chance if they tried anything.

And Adora had Bow with her - as capable a diplomat as ever there was.

What other options did they have? Mermista on earth. Kyle and Rogelio. Adora… maybe. Definitely. But no real way to  _ reach _ them. Or even alert them to the fact they were back.

And themselves. They were in Heaven but Heaven wasn’t exactly equipped to incarcerate anyone. Or at least it  _ shouldn’t _ be.

Their little procession moved out of the central hall, past doors that led into rooms far larger than the walls outside allowed. Rows of Virtues sat within, desks above and below one another, as they processed the various tallies of Mortal aspiration and worth. Listened to their thoughts, watched their deeds. And yet many desks stood empty, abandoned.

An indicator at Heaven’s waning interest? Or the lack of angelic forces to carry out the task?

The group moved through the halls, white marble and golden tiles reflecting the omnipresent light of Heaven’s grace, until they emerged into the broad avenues of the Eternal City.

More Centuries awaited them and the avenue was completely devoid of spirits and souls - Light Hope was being  _ discrete _ it seemed. She reached out and tapped Glimmer on her shoulder. The demon looked up and frowned. She seemed overwhelmed, eyes wide and frightened. Catra supposed it was a bit of a shock - the girl likely hadn’t been in Heaven in decades.

Time was relatively meaningless to immortals such as themselves; but time spent  _ among _ the mortals rubbed off on a being - you began to feel time in a way you just didn’t process when away from the Real. Catra had felt that, felt the strange detachment that being Heaven bound brought. Her time on earth, short as it was, had been invigorating - like diving into a cold stream and then feeling the sun's heat upon one’s flesh, after a lifetime of sitting in a sterile office.

Of course Heaven’s aura normally made up for that with the gentle sensations and reassuring balm. Except that really was  _ not _ happening. Catra’s skin felt itchy and the air itself felt oppressive.

They moved along at a fair march, toward the citadel. Their little troupe stuck to narrower streets and seemed to be completely invisible to the few souls they did encounter. None made eye contact, all kept their heads down. It was distressing to see such  _ fear _ in Heaven.

And yet Catra remembered intimidating a Virtue or two; was she so above it? Had she become inured and so distant that she herself was complicit? Not to the same degree, but enough to not even notice?

She remembered Coel Hen’s initial nervousness around her, which she had thought was respect. But was that just how the Virtues all felt - stuck at the bottom of some perceived Hierarchy? The Archangels on Earth, full of disdain and ennui at Heaven, a hair's breadth away from Falling. But were they not closer to the original idea of the angelic orders? Guiding, being closer to mortals, to help them?

The schism with Hell, that wound had left more lasting damage. The sin of Pride had clearly not just been with Shadow Weaver - it had gouged itself into the angel’s very being and how they viewed  _ everything _ .

Not custodians; masters. Not shepherds; battery farmers. Not teachers; taskmasters.

Before the fall, the Demonic side had been rivals, the opposition across a negotiation table. But still treated as lesser. And of  _ course _ some Demons went rogue and had to be put down. But considering how they were seen, could one really blame them?

She was jolted from her introspection as they moved up the grand stairs to the Citadel. Catra was shocked they were heading the seat of power. A sense of dread settled upon her - were they to see Mara?

Was she really behind this, after all?

Was her intent to actually end all things, her daughter included?

_ No _ that couldn’t be the case. Catra shot a look at Glimmer and saw the demon was fuming. Her face was filled with fear, but also rage. Impotent, yes, but still there. The Dominion’s gaze tracked to Huntara and she saw that Frosta was awake, albeit very still. She met the Dverge’s eyes and the diminutive angel gave a small grimace. Catra shook her head slowly and Frosta gave an eyeroll.

The party entered the great entry way of the Citadel. It was empty, save for the cluster of Seraphs at the centre. They were led by Angella, who looked gaunt. And really, it looked less like she was leading them and more like they were keeping her in place, flanking her rear. The Seraph’s gaze took in the group then went wide as she saw the demon.

“Glimmer… No.. NO!” she half stumbled forwards, but one of the other Seraph’s held her back. Catra recognised the woman as Casta - Micah’s brother. The woman looked as stricken as Angella, the latter of whom was still shaking her head, “You.. you should have been  _ safe _ …”

Glimmer’s stony regard had shifted to confusion at her mother’s outburst and she looked stricken. Light Hope paused, halfway between the party and the gathered Seraphs. She folded her hands in front of her.

“We have recovered your fugitive daughter. I trust your attempts at subversion will now desist.”   


Angella swallowed and drew herself up. She was as tall as Light Hope, towering over the other Seraphs. Her bearing shifted from grief, to quiet fury in an instant,”And what are you implying?”

“Whilst I initially assumed Catra’s dispatch was to terminate a simple demonic incursion, I realised it might  _ also _ be an attempt to find your errant husband and daughter. I did not envision you were actually seeking something else. However, now I realise it was an attempt at subterfuge, to foster rebellion. WIth the demon recovered, I assume you will continue to cooperate with the enactment of the plan. Otherwise there will be consequences.”

“You are threatening  _ my daughter _ ?” hissed Angella. The other Seraphs shifted uncomfortably behind her but none moved to support her, save Casta, who held her arm tightly.

“Correct. You were supportive initially.”   


“As part of a  _ cycle _ . Of Rebirth! Renewal! On a  _ natural _ timescale! Not… not arbitrary dictation by a committee!”

“It is the will of Mara.”

“Absolute  _ poppycock _ you absolute  _ monster _ ,” snarled Angella, “As you well know. She has been comatose for  _ years _ . She speaks to NO ONE!”

Light Hope’s form flickered, like static, the only sign of agitation she displayed, “Her intent is clear. Her grief at the state of the universe weighs upon her. Our duty is clear: if she cannot act, we will. And it will  _ save her _ .”

Angella glowered and looked about to speak, but one of the other Seraphs spoke up. He wore clothes akin to wise man of old, robed like a hermit clad in a leaf-cloak. Catra recognised him as Dagda. He looked nervous as he spoke, “Where is Azrael?”

Light Hope flickered again, uncomfortable, “He… fell.”

The other Seraphs looked actually confused. Casta coughed and looked about, “But… we have not felt his return, his retreat to the healing sanctuaries.”

Catra felt a smile creep across her face and she laughed. It bubbled up within her, almost hysterical. The sight of the oh-so-powerful Seraphs looking cowed by Light Hope, but also actively  _ baffled _ just hit her. The sheer insanity of it. All eyes turned to her as she wheezed and wiped a tear from her eyes. Light Hope fixed her with a baleful gaze and Catra shook her head and shot a smug smile at the Seraph.

“Oh… oh Lonnie was right. You are all so. So.  _ So _ . FUCKED.”

The word echoed through the halls. Catra was half surprised the air didn’t actually turn blue. Angella twitched and glanced at Glimmer, then back at Catra, but remained silent. She had a look on her face that seemed almost painful.

_ Hope _ .

Light Hope sighed, “It is of no consequence.”

“Adora fucked him up. In one hit. Took his soul,” Catra drawled. The Seraphs  _ all _ stiffened and turned to stare at Light Hope. The woman flinched imperceptibly.

“It is true… the betrayer  _ lives _ . We thought her dead. Complicit with Shadow Weaver, yes, but  _ dead _ . But she lives and is CLEARLY in league.”

Glimmer barked a laugh at that, “Psh. You cursed her, tried to  _ murder _ her, as a fuckin’ martyr. You are… all disgraces. Especially  _ you _ mother. To… allow this to happen. Why, mom…  _ why _ ?”

Angella’s hope slipped and she sagged. Light Hope looked between the pair, then fixed Glimmer with a stare, “To save you, of course. Was this not obvious? After Micah attempted to discern our plan, he had to be removed. Angella was cooperative due to you. I will grant she did not _know_ of the need to remove Adora until after the fact. That was a necessary cruelty." the white-eyed Seraph gave a small shrug, "But still... she was co-operative. Until she had you banished. I thought that was a sign of her loyalty, but clearly her intent was to actively remove you. I had thought you sent  _ to  _ Shadow Weaver. To be disposed of… but apparently not.”   


The young demon reeled as she stared at the Seraph. Catra sneered at the assembled group, “And the rest of you… well, yeah, Adora’s alive. But Light Hope tried to kill her. To set her up!”

The shared glances and guilty looks on the faces of the angels froze her heart. They already  _ knew _ . She looked at Angella. But again, Glimmer whimpered out, “But… why?”

It was Dagda who spoke, “It is none of your concern, young ones. Only know this is for the greater good, to push back the shadows and remove stagnation. For too long the universe has not shifted. The scars of the war must be washed away.”

Catra slumped, “Cowards… Cowards all of you,” her gaze was leaden as she looked between them all, “Adora will come. She will bust down those gates. And she will  _ end _ you. All of you. And I can’t  _ wait _ to watch it happen.”

The angels - all of them capable of wiping out planets single handedly… all of them flinched. Light Hope twitched slightly, “She will fail. She will bow, for we have  _ you _ . Your mortal companion said as much. And surely that is demonstration enough of the need to start anew? That lack of loyalty.”

Catra ignored her and looked at Angella, “You… you tried to send Glim to Micah, didn’t you?”

Angella and Casta stared at her.  _ Both _ of them nodded, slightly, Casta clearly throwing her lot in. Angella looked at Light Hope then shook off Casta’s arm, “I did. I did because I was a coward and did not know what else to do… after you cast my husband out. A hero. A champion. The  _ best _ of us.”   


“A mere archangel,” sighed Light Hope.

“As if that  _ means _ anything,” hissed Angella, “Titles and pomp and ceremony and  _ pride _ . All that matters is the will to act,” she glanced at Catra as she said this, “All titles do is bend our thinking and our knees. I failed my daughter. My husband. By trying to make a deal with a monster.”

She strode away from the Seraphs and past Light Hope. The white-eyed Seraph seemed stunned. As if someone actually standing up to her was an alien act.

Angella strode straight up to Glimmer. She knelt before the girl, whilst the Centuries looked on, unsure and confused, not wanting to stand in the way of a Seraph, distressed by the fact the Seraphs seemed to be  _ arguing _ .

The tall angel, swallowed and looked at Glimmer, who seemed to be swaying between anger and a desire to just touch her mother. Angella sighed, “I failed you. I should have been stronger. I just wanted you  _ safe _ . You… you are the most important thing. And… and I  _ must _ continue to keep you safe.”   


“No…  _ no _ . This is  _ wrong _ , mother,” Glimmer pleased, “She will… she doesn’t  _ care _ . She ended a mortal soul,  _ obliterated _ it. She won’t keep her word.”

“And what should I do, my heart,” smiled Angella, through her tears, “Watch as she murders  _ you _ in front of me? I will do what I must to ensure your survival,” her eyes met Glimmer's and the demon saw in there a steely determination. Catra stepped up and put a hand on Angella’s shoulder. The Seraph flinched as she looked at the Dominion.

The feline angel glanced at Light Hope, then at Angella’s clenched fists. She shook her head, “Don’t. You die. Glimmer dies. She lives as long as you behave.”

“Listen to the Dominion, Seraph Angella.” Light Hope’s voice was unworried, monotone, “Follow the Plan. And we shall see what can be done in the new age.”

Angella gritted her teeth and sagged, “I…. am a coward,” Glimmer blinked her tears away, but one of her arms came up. It shook as she reached, tentatively. Angella took the demon’s hand, gingerly, then placed it against her cheek. She closed her eyes and stuttered a sob, “My girl. My star. I am sorry. I… I wish I had been stronger.”

“Dad… dad’s still out there,” choked out Glimmer and Angella seemed to sag even more. Her grip on Glimmer’s hand tightened and she squeezed her eyes shut.

“No more attempts to derail the plan, Angella. Are we understood? Glimmer will remain here, under guard. Any deviation and she will be ended. This is the decision.”

Angella turned slowly and glared at Light Hope, “Your terms are  _ barbaric _ . But… I have no choice.”

“Free will is defined by context. You always have a choice. Poor options do not negate that,” Light Hope gestured and the Centuries stepped forward to prize Glimmer and Catra away. The Dominion snarled, but did not resist. Glimmer clung to her mother’s hand and made an animal-like noise as they were dragged apart. 

Angella stumbled back, to be caught by Casta, who whispered urgently into the Seraph’s ear. Catra yelled at the group, “Cowards. Shadow Weaver was RIGHT!”

They  _ all  _ froze at that, the indignation and embarrassment apparent on all the Seraph’s faces. Light Hope sneered, an actual  _ emotion _ , “She was misguided. Tempted. She had aspiration beyond her station. We are not alike in the slightest.”   


“But you still needed demonic magic to get Adora. You’re working  _ with _ the demons! You're a HYPOCRITE.”

Light Hope shook her head, “That grants them too much influence. Their spell was clearly shoddy, in that it did not end Adora. Shadow Weaver thought that providing the means to enact the Plan, she would be back in Heaven’s graces, that she would obtain power once more. It is trivially easy to manipulate the Fallen, so driven by base desires as they are. And yet she could not even do that correctly.”

“You cheated her?”

“It is not a sin when performed against evil and for a grander goal. Shadow Weaver still plots for a war that ended. The Plan will render her moot, will render everything beyond Heaven to  _ nothing _ so that we may begin again. That is her only service - providing us the means by which to do so.”

“And what  _ is _ the Plan then?”

Light Hope frowned at the Dominion, “That is not your concern. You attempts at delaying the inevitable are laughable. We will speak shortly on the matter of the location of the Heir. Then we will decide your fate. Seraphs, with me. Attend.”

Catra was hauled away by the Centuries, She craned to watch as the Seraphs moved away from the hall, towards another corridor. All of them appeared to have moved to surround Angella and Casta - the weakest links among them, with Light Hope in the lead.

And for a moment, the Seraph flickered. A sickly green permeated her soul-form, replaced in an instant by her normal being.

Catra was certain she was the only one who had  _ seen _ that, though.

The Centuries led them through the vaulted halls until they reached a corridor flanked by doors all the way down. Huntara stepped forwards and pushed one open to reveal a fairly mundane room. It looked like a bedroom, or at least that’s how the Citadel had decided to present it. Cushions were strewn all over a plush carpet. And despite the room being on the  _ interior _ of the building, there were balconies that looked out over gardens. The Centuries ushered them inside and Huntara deposited the prone Frosta on a set of cushions. She was careful, though, almost tentative. 

Catra took in the surroundings and snorted, “A guest room. Really.”   


Glimmer shot her a look, as if to say  _ don’t MAKE them make it harder _ . Huntara, however, just looked embarrassed, “We um… we don’t exactly have cells.”

“Newsflash,  _ duh _ ,” snapped Catra, “I wasn’t born the day before today.”   


“Oh  _ Mara _ she’s still doing it,” groaned Frosta from the cushions. Huntara looked confused and, for the first time, strangely awkward. The Dverge sat up and glared at the Century, “The fuck you looking at?”

“Uh, well,” The woman seemed to collect herself and she straightened, “You will remain here. Do not attempt to escape. Centuries are posted beyond, in the adjacent rooms and throughout the Citadel. They will stop you. You are unarmed and have no chance. I will fetch you… shortly.”

Catra stared at the Century then sighed, “You know this is wrong. Even if you believe in… Armageddon… what it is  _ for _ , the way Light Hope is doing this is  _ wrong _ . She tried to kill the HEIR. She is threatening Seraphs! Does that sound like the act of a sound mind?”   


The Century turned her face away and looked at the guards still at the door. The recently-produced, barely-angels-at-all guards. Then she hung her head, “It matters not what I think. Obedience is all that matters. Without that order, all is chaos…”

The Dominion  _ tsked _ and turned away, “Then we truly are all Fallen. May Mara forgive us for our weaknesses. Because Adora won’t,” She looked back over her shoulder, almost sad, “If I were you… I’d be on Earth. Or make yourself scarce. Because you won’t even be a challenge.”   


Huntara bristled, “We took you down…"   


Catra shrugged, “Barely. And you had a Seraph. And you saw Adora take one of _them_ out without breaking a  _ sweat _ . How do you think you and your tin soldiers will stack up, hmmm?”

“She  _ left you _ behind, though…” sneered Huntara, but there wasn’t any real venom to it. Honestly, the woman looked miserable. Catra sighed, but Glimmer spoke, quietly.

“You took us. She’s not a fool. She’s demonic… but when she’s enraged she will be clever. Calculating.” The demon looked Huntara in the eye, levelly, “She will plan. She will pull everything together. She will arrive in force and she will break you from within. She will strip you of your confidence and assurances and she  _ will _ make you wish you were dead. She will make you  _ beg _ for release.”

The monotone, certain way she delivered the words chilled Catra. Glimmer’s smile was a sneer as Huntara gawped at her. The Century managed a scoff, “A demon attacking Heaven? She wouldn’t get past the gates. Your bravado is… is…”

Catra laughed, “She’s the daughter of  _ MARA _ . Have a think Huntara… which side do you want to be on? When you thought about your life, your  _ lives _ and what enlightenment was… did you see it being on a leash to insanity?”

The three angels turned their backs on the Century, who made a disgruntled noise. Then the door clicked shut. As one, all three slumped onto the cushions. Glimmers sneer crumbled into a despairing frown, and Frosta rested her head in her hands.

Catra hugged her knees to her and closed her eyes. She could feel Adora, faintly. So far off. So…  _ angry _ .

Glimmer’s voice cut her concentration, “Great… so, we’ve riled up everyone. We’re trapped. Surrounded by the angelic horde. No escape. No friends. No way to get a message out…”

The three exchanged glances and Frosta sighed, “We need a miracle, that’s a fact.”

* * *

**_Peace_ ** .

_ It was all pervading. No pain. No fear. Just endless peace. _

_ But there was a sense of loss. Absence. Of something important - connections. _

_ Something had been left behind. Things left unsaid. _

_ The sense of peace shifted all around, waves on a gentle, tranquil ocean. _

__ It is not your time yet, little one

_ The  _ **_Peace_ ** _ shifted as the echo of a memory of a voice spoke. Or was heard. _

They need you _. _

_ A scroll blazed in memory. A line and a link. _

You have a role to play still. And people to help.

_The_ ** _Peace_** _receded. The time for it to wash away prior life and memory but not the lessons of memory was not now. Or rather the_ ** _Peace_** _was pulled away. If something could pull away an ocean._

_ A myriad of potentials that had been there, just out of sight on the ocean, vanished, yet to be realised. The cycle was delayed. Not, perhaps, for the first time. _

_ A sense of purpose seeped in. A goal. A thing she had to do. A name to find. _

_ There was light in the  _ **_Peace_ ** _. But the light that shone now was different. _

_ Warm. _

_ Physical. _

_ It hurt to look at it. _

It hurt to look at it?

Also, bookshelves?

A glass dome?

A pervading sense of being home  _ and _ being disoriented?

Two faces,  _ beautiful _ faces, staring down at her in wonder, adoration and  _ relief _ .

Names. She knew their names.  **She** . She was human, right? But if she could see them, did that mean she was dead? Had been dead?

The blonde above her, slight and gorgeous and kind and gentle, reached for her tentatively.

She felt it. Felt his hand.  _ Felt it _ . Her own fumbled for it, desperate to grip the hand of her  _ love _ . It felt like lead but she moved it with the desperation of the drowned. The other face, weathered, reptilian, but strong and reassuring, reached down to gently lift her into a seated position. She leaned into the touch of her  _ love _ .

Both of them.

Coel Hen stared at her and smiled.

“Lonnie?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pshaw. Told you the scroll was important. Plus maybe someone isn't as quiet as we thought...
> 
> So, yeah. How bout that. Angella basically being forced into things and TRYING to get to a point she could, maybe, derail stuff! Casta! Other Seraphs being bureaucrats who are basically too scared!
> 
> And oh, yeah, the Trio... cos no one pays attention to the Virtues... wonder if they'll be able to help. Maybe.
> 
> AS EVER - lemme know if you liked.
> 
> I am setting up things. The last few dominoes. And then it will all come clunking together in a nightmarish cascade of fire and action.
> 
> Next chapter... well, we shall see.


End file.
